Go Back
Jennifer J

Vegetable Barley Soup

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp Olive oil
Mirepoix
  • 1 medium Yellow onion diced
  • 4 Carrots peeled & chopped
  • 3 Celery ribs chopped
Mirepoix enhancer
  • 4 Garlic cloves minced
Vegetables
  • 1 lb Fresh green beans trimmed & cut into 1" pieces
  • 2 cups Frozen corn
  • 1 cup Spinach loosely packed
Seasonings
  • 2 tbsp Smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp Garlic powder²
  • 2 tbsp Onion powder³
  • 2 tbsp Dried oregano or 6 tbsp fresh
  • 2 tbsp Dried basil Or 6 tbsp fresh
  • 1 tbsp Dried thyme Or 3 tbsp fresh
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne chili powder
  • 1-1 1/2 tbsp Sea salt
Miscellaneous
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 8 cups Beef broth or stock¹
  • 2 15 oz canned stewed or crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups Barley

Method
 

  1. Add olive oil to Dutch oven and turn heat to medium high
  2. Add your mirepoix and sautée until onions are translucent.
  3. Add garlic and allow it to cook until it blooms (30-60 seconds; where you can smell it. Don't cook it longer than that as garlic can turn bitter.)
  4. Add wine to deglaze the pot
  5. Add 8 cups of beef broth or stock
  6. Add canned tomatoes
  7. Add all seasonings unless you're using fresh. See that step below.
  8. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes
  9. Add barley and cook around 15-20 minutes
  10. Add green beans and corn
  11. Cook for 10 minutes
  12. Add fresh seasonings here, if using
  13. Make sure barley is done (tender and chewy). If so continue to next step. If not, continue to cook until done, then proceed.
  14. Turn off heat
  15. Add spinach and stir

Notes

¹Great recipe for homemade beef stock:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-make-rich-beef-stock-3057617#:~:text=Use
²Adding garlic powder with your fresh garlic will enhance the flavor of garlic
³Adding onion powder with your fresh onion  will enhance the flavor of onion. 
VARIATIONS
  • Beef and barley. Just remove all vegetables, but the mirepoix, add potatoes & chuck-eye that's been cut into 1" cubes or shredded.
  • Vegetable soup. Omit the barley and you're good to go! Add whatever vegetables you love.
  • Vegetable beef. Omit the barley and add chuck-eye.
  • Vegetable beef & barley. Add it all together and thoroughly enjoy.