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Soups are good for the soul. They can give some much-needed comfort after a long day of hustling (especially on those cold winter days!) and they are an excellent and easy meal to share as a family. This Bean and Barley Soup has so many amazing qualities to it. It is full of veggies, fiber, plant-based protein, and whole grains. You will for sure incorporate it into your weekly rotation once you try it, so let’s see how easy it is to prepare.
Budget-Friendly
As if we hadn’t proved how amazing soups are enough, we are happy to report that they are also one of the most budget-friendly dishes you can prepare. When times are tight or you are just trying to be more mindful about your food spending, soups are a huge help. You can add any veggie you have on hand and a can of beans with some veggie stock and you have a great soup already. So simple and so delicious.
This recipe calls for 6 cups of vegetable broth. We used three cubes diluted in 6 cups of water.
Crockpot Version
If you have a crockpot and want to put it to good use, then this soup is a great option. Start by throwing in all the ingredients and letting it sit for the day on medium heat. If you are doing it this way, we recommend using pre-soaked bulk dry beans to keep the cost even lower. This is a great way to get into the habit of buying beans and pulses in the bulk section which would not only lower the cost but help you reduce waste.
We absolutely love this Bean and Barley Soup! Give it a try and see how easy it is to eat healthy, low-cost and plant-based.
Recommended Equipment:
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Barley and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced
- 2 ribs of celery, sliced
- 6 cups of vegetable broth
- 1 cup of barley
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, in their juices
- 15 ounces of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 ounces of tomato paste
- 3 Tablespoons of cumin
- 2 teaspoons of chili powder
- Pepper, to taste
- Tortilla chips, for garnish (optional)
- Avocado, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Saute the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until the vegetables are tender, for about five minutes.
- Add broth (for broth I used six cups of water and three bullion cubes), barley, cans of beans, can of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices, and let it boil for 30 minutes until the barley is nice and soft.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Additional Info
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!