Vegetable Barley Soup

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

When creamy vegetable soups aren’t quite satisfying those ultra-hearty soup cravings, it’s time to dig out the grains for tomatoey barley and bean soup OR – my newest obsession – mixed vegetable barley soup. Unlike many traditional recipes, my version is 100% meat-free but still ultra-filling, satisfying, hearty, nourishing, and loved by vegans and meat-eaters alike.

Not only is it wholesome, comforting, and loaded with veggies (easy to swap out with whatever you have on hand!), but the pearl barley adds a satisfying chewy texture and mild nutty flavor I can’t get enough of. Better yet, it’s easy to prepare on the stove or in a crockpot, is meal prep friendly, and freezes well – a simple, nutritious fall/winter meal packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  

Soup-er satisfied and wondering what’s next? Try my hearty lemon lentil soup, vegan lasagna soup, or roasted parsnip soup.

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients in this vegetarian barley soup recipe are versatile, budget-friendly pantry staples. Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and subs.

Gluten-free? No problem! Try quinoa or wild rice – adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Recipe Variations

• Other veggies: With a title like vegetable and barley soup, you better believe you can load it with all your favorite fresh/frozen vegetables (great for a kitchen clear-out!). Try potato, sweet potato, butternut squash, or pumpkin (½-inch cubes), peas, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, bell pepper, mushrooms, green beans, corn, or spinach.

Top Tip: Add up to 3 extra cups of vegetables for a super nutritious, chunky vegetable soup with barley. Add hard veggies early and soft veggies in the last 10-15 minutes. Small frozen veggies, like peas/corn, need only a few minutes at the end.

• More protein: Bump up the vegan barley soup’s filling power with lentils, beans (kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas), or pressed and cubed tofu (refer to this guide to tofu pressing for tips!).
• Flavor boosters: Amp up the flavor with tomato paste (for richness), miso paste (umami), nutritional yeast (how to use nutritional yeast) (umami, nutty, ‘cheesy’ flavor), smoked paprika, bay leaves (remove before serving), or lemon juice (to brighten the soup when serving).

How to Make Vegetable Barley Soup

Step 3: Garnish the barley and vegetable soup with cilantro (or parsley) and red pepper flakes (or hot sauce) when serving. Enjoy!

FAQs

Pro Recipe Notes

• Quick prep: A food chopper is a kitchen godsend to get chopping done in a fraction of the time with minimal effort. Also, let me let you in on a little secret – you can even find pre-chopped ‘mire poix’.
• Use high-quality bouillon/broth: It packs in a ton of flavor, so use a rich, full-bodied one for the best vegan barley soup.
• For a thinner soup: Add extra broth.
• For more flavor: Sauté the vegetables until lightly caramelized for complex flavor depth.
• To avoid thickening soup: Store the barley separately so it doesn’t soak up broth.

Serving Recommendations

This vegetable pearl barley soup is absolutely filling enough to be enjoyed as a main meal. However, you can’t go wrong with some homemade easy no knead bread, vegan focaccia, or vegan cornbread muffins (its sweetness pairs wonderfully!) for dipping, a sandwich, or a green salad.

Storage Information

Fridge: In an airtight container for 4-5 days. Note, barley absorbs broth over time, becoming softer and thickening the soup – store it separately if preferred.

Freeze: In silicone muffin molds or Ziplock/Stasher bags for 2-3 months (with or without the barley). Then, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheat: Microwave (in 30-second increments) or heat on the stove, stirring often. Add more water or stock if the soup has thickened too much.