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Loaded with wholesome pantry staples, this hearty bean and barley soup is cozy, budget-friendly, nourishing, and seriously satisfying – perfect for meal prep!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sometimes you just need a big, cozy bowl of soup to make everything better, and this bean and barley soup is truly comforting – similar to my vegetable barley soup, but with a richer tomato-based broth and the addition of fiber, nutrient, and protein-packed beans and barley for a satisfying meal in a bowl. It’s hearty, healthy, filling, wholesome, and easy to throw together with really budget-friendly ingredients.
It’s a great one-pot, clean-out-the-fridge kind of meal that’s easy to customize with whatever veggies you have on hand, perfect for meal prep, and freezer-friendly. In fact, it tastes even better on day two, so I always make enough for leftovers! Want more warm, hearty soup ideas? Try my kale vegetable bean soup, black bean soup, and quick Mexican bean soup recipes.
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, quantities, and substitutes.
Recipe Variations
- Lemon: Add a little before serving for brightness and depth.
- Other vegetables: I.e., fresh or frozen leek, spinach/kale, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green beans, mushrooms, cabbage, zucchini, etc.
- Starches: Add diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or pumpkin (try out this roasted pumpkin soup).
- Other seasonings: i.e., 1-2 bay leaves, smoked paprika, dried basil or thyme.
- Umami: Add miso paste, nutritional yeast (how to use nutritional yeast), and/or a splash of soy sauce.
- Vegan protein: Like vegan sausage or this crispy baked tofu to add extra flavor and texture.
- Creamy: Blend a portion or add some cashew cream/coconut milk.
How to Make Bean and Barley Soup
Step 1: First, dice the onion, celery, and carrot, and mince the garlic. Then, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium-high heat. Saute the prepared vegetables and garlic for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Stir in the cumin and chili powder for 1-2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, barley, beans, and tomato paste. Then, bring the white beans and barley soup to a boil.
Step 3: Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes or until the barley is tender.
Step 4: Stir in the minced cilantro, taste, and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Serve the vegan barley soup alone or with crusty bread, vegan focaccia bread, and/or a simple side salad.
FAQs
Yes. Soak 1 ½ cups of beans in plenty of cold water overnight, then drain, rinse, and simmer in fresh water (or low-sodium broth) until tender. Once cooked, continue with the bean barley soup recipe.
Yes, but it will take longer to cook (usually 20-30 minutes). Optionally, partially cook the barley, then add it to the vegetable barley soup for the last 30 minutes.
For the best flavor, sauté the veg in a pan until soft/lightly browned. Then, add everything to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Cook and/or store the barley separately so it’s unable to soak up the broth.
Pro Recipe Tips
- To speed up prep: Use a food chopper/mandoline to prep the veggies.
- Don’t rush the saute: Sauteing veggies/aromatics until lightly browned will add depth for a more complex soup base.
- Use pearl barley: While this barley and bean soup recipe works with hulled barley, the latter takes a lot longer to cook.
- To make it oil–free: Use ¼ cup broth to sauté the vegetables instead.
- To adjust the consistency: Optionally blend a portion of beans and broth for a thick and creamy bean barley soup.
Storage Information
Store: In an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Freeze: You can freeze the barley bean soup in Ziplock’s (spread flat), souper cubes, or a silicone muffin tray for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: In a microwave (30-second spurts, stirring between) or on the stove (over medium-low). Add extra broth/water, if preferred, as barley soaks up broth as it sits.
More Hearty Vegan Soup Recipes
![compelted Easy Garbanzo Bean Soup [Stove, Instant Pot, Crockpot] in a bowl](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Garbanzo-Bean-Soup-Plant-Based-on-a-Budget-15-378x378.jpg)
![completed Tuscan White Bean Soup [With Kale] in a pot](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Tuscan-White-Bean-Soup-PBOAB-14-378x378.jpg)
Vegan Dinners
Tuscan White Bean Soup [With Kale]
Vegan Dinners
Cabbage Bean Soup
Vegan Dinners
Pasta, Bean & Tomato Soup
If you tried this bean and barley soup recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Barley and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 carrots diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup barley
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can white cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- ¼ to ½ cup minced cilantro
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the cumin and chili powder, mixing well to coat the vegetables with the spices.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, then add the barley, diced tomatoes (with their juices), garbanzo beans, white cannellini beans, and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the barley is soft.
- Stir in the minced cilantro and season with pepper to taste.
- Serve hot and enjoy this flavorful, protein-rich, and nourishing soup!
Notes
- Don’t rush the saute: Sauteing veggies/aromatics until lightly browned will add depth for a more complex soup base.
- Use pearl barley: While this barley and bean soup recipe works with hulled barley, the latter takes a lot longer to cook.
- To make it oil–free: Use ¼ cup broth to sauté the vegetables instead.
- To adjust the consistency: Optionally blend a portion of beans and broth for a thick and creamy bean barley soup.
![completed Quick Mexican Bean Soup [Stove + Crockpot] in a bowl against a light background](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Classic-Bean-Soup-11-378x378.jpg)
This soup is SO delicious, Toni, thank you so much! I made it yesterday and loved it so much that we decided to take it to my FIL’s house to enjoy with him. My husband, FIL and I are all plant-based and appreciate hearty, wholesome dishes like this. Thank you for sharing your creation! Much love to you.
That’s amazing! So glad you and everyone enjoyed this soup! Toni has the best recipes on her blog!
Love this soup! I usually do a more French-style seasoning with sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano and bay leaf instead of the southwestern cumin-chili. I also put in a couple more cups of liquid because the barley will soak everything up! First time I made this, I had a solid lump in the pot instead of a soup. Still delicious though.
So glad you enjoyed this soup! It’s super delicious!
That’s A LOT of sodium! But I’m going to make it anyway. Looks delicious.
Feel free to adjust the sodium to your preference. Enjoy!
Quick and easy to toss together once the veggies were prepped. 3 Tablespoons of cumin seemed like a lot so I used only 2 Tablespoons and it was still overpowering. I’m going to add more broth/water to try and dilute it. Next time I might use only 1 teaspoon of cumin.
Sounds great! This one is really easy to modify to your liking 🙂
Thank you for this great recipe! We made it tonight, with baked apples as a side, and loved it.
Love the baked apples alongside of it!