Hearty, Oil-Free, Plant-Based Vegetable Barley Soup
Hearty barley is a budget-friendly whole grain that provides healthy fiber and protein. It pairs with seasonal winter vegetables and simple Irish flavors for this satisfying vegan soup. Enjoy this oil-free, plant-based recipe for an easy, yet satisfying, dinner.
What is Barley?
Barley is a healthy whole grain, full of healthy plant-based nutrition. It may not get all of the attention of other grains, but it’s a delicious addition to your whole foods cooking repertoire!
Barley has a nutty flavor and a chew texture. Similar to farro, it’s a bit smaller in size. You can think of barley like a chewier, fatter version of short grain rice.
Barley is a staple of Irish cooking. For centuries, Irish people survived off hearty whole grains like oats and barley. Barley has been used in soups, Irish stews, and malted barley is an essential ingredient for Scotch Whiskey.
For more about Irish Cooking, read: Irish Food 101 and St. Patrick’s Day Healthy Vegan Recipes
Is Barley Gluten-Free?
Barley contains gluten. Because it is a member of the wheat family, it should be avoided for anyone with Celiac or adhering to a gluten-free diet. However, recipes calling for barley can often use short grain brown rice instead.
How Do I Buy Barley?
There’s one important thing to know about buying barley: It comes in two forms:
- Pearled Barley: The barley has been polished to remove the outer bran and endosperm. This gives the barley a shiny “pearled” appearance. Pearled barley has a little less nutrition. However, it cooks in much quicker time.
- Hulled or “Whole” Barley: The barley still has its outer bran and endosperm layers. Because of this, it is the more nutritious option. Plus, this form releases more starch during cooking, which gives you a creamier final dish. However, it means a longer cooking time.
How Can I Use Barley in Recipes?
Barley can be used like rice in most soups, stews, and pilaf recipes. It also works great alongside oats for a satisfying breakfast grain bowl. Hulled barley gives off its starches during cooking. Therefor, it is a delicious substitute for rice in creamy risotto or rice pudding.
You can also cook a small batch of barley during your weekend meal prep. Use it any of your plant-based vegan grain bowls to add healthy fiber and plant-strong protein. Enjoy it in a Buddha Bowl with Spiced Tahini Dressing. Or, try it in an Asian Miso Grain Bowl.
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
Pearled Barley vs Hulled: Pearled barley has been “polished” to remove some of the extra starches. Using pearled barley in this soup helps it retain its texture and give you a clearer broth. For a starchier broth, use unpearled “hulled” barley. Simply add 10 minutes or so to the cooking time
Vegan Bouillon Cubes: For adding flavor to plant-based soups, stews, braises, and sauces, I always keep a few of the Edward and Sons vegan bullion cubes on hand. They come in Beef, Chick’n, and Low-Sodium Veggie flavors. Plus, it’s easy to keep a few in your pantry.
Irish Vegetable Barley Soup
- Easy
- Servings: 4
- Ready In: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups soup
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love: Instapot Hearty Winter Vegetable Bean Soup, Farro Italian Vegetable Soup, Mushroom Leek Barley Soup, and Irish Vegetables with Mustard Dill Sauce.
Irish Vegetable Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3/4 cup pearled barley
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable stock or 1 low-sodium vegan bouillon cube + 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- To make the soup: Add the carrots, onions, and celery to a large pot. Â Cover and cook over medium heat, 7 minutes, until the veggies are sweating. Â If they start to burn, reduce the heat and add a splash of water
- When the onions are translucent, add the barley. Add the thyme, bay leaf garlic, pepper, and vegetable stock.
- Cover and simmer until barley is tender, about 25-30 minutes.
- Turn off heat. Remove thyme branches (the leaves should have fallen off by now). Â Stir in the peas and parsley. Â Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (about 2 cups)
Calories 173.74
Calories From Fat (3%) 5.55
% Daily Value
- Total Fat 0.66g 1%
- Saturated Fat 0.16g <1%
- Cholesterol 0mg 0%
- Sodium 200.45mg 8%
- Potassium 294.56mg 8%
- Total Carbohydrates 37.88g 13%
- Fiber 8.51g 34%
- Sugar 3.68g
- Protein 5.53g 11%
- Calcium 7.15mg <1%
- Iron 52.97mg 294%
- Vitamin A IU
- Vitamin C 0.18mg <1%
Shopping and Gear List
- Simply Organic Bay Leaf Certified Organic, 0.14-Ounce Container
- Bob’s Red Mill Pearl Barley, 30-ounce
- Edward & Sons Low Sodium Veggie Bouillon Cubes, 2.2-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)
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Instructions call for rosemary, but rosemary not on ingredient list. Also, bay leaf on ingredient list, but not mentioned in instructions.
Please clarify!
Thank you!
Thanks for catching that. I’ll update the recipe — no rosemary needed but yes to bay leaf