Rustic Vegetable Barley Soup (Print Version)

Hearty blend of barley, mushrooms, and fresh vegetables simmered to warm perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
08 - 1 large potato, peeled and diced
09 - 1 zucchini, diced
10 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
11 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
12 - 6 cups vegetable broth

→ Spices and Herbs

13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
17 - 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and mushrooms, cooking for another 5 minutes to release their moisture and reduce in size.
02 - Add potato, zucchini, green beans, and diced tomatoes with juice to the pot. Stir to combine thoroughly.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth and add pearl barley, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir well to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley and vegetables are tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf and taste the soup, adjusting seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely nourishing without any fuss or pretension.
  • The barley does something magical—it thickens the broth naturally so you don't need cream.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup while you're wrapped in a blanket reading or thinking.
  • It tastes even better the next day when all the flavors have settled together.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the barley—it prevents the starchy paste texture that ruins otherwise perfect soup.
  • The vegetables should be roughly the same size so they cook evenly and the soup feels balanced on your spoon.
  • If you're using homemade broth and it's already deeply seasoned, taste before you add the full salt amount or you'll end up with something too salty to save.
03 -
  • Chop everything before you start cooking so you're not frantically cutting while things sizzle, which is when mistakes happen.
  • If your soup tastes flat after simmering, squeeze in a little lemon juice or add a splash of red wine vinegar—acid lifts flavors that heat alone can't reach.
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