This Mediterranean Barley and Vegetable Soup is hearty, delicious, and perfect for those days when you need a satisfying meal and time is short. It is a recipe that you will frequently turn to because it contains simple ingredients which are readily available, or you may already have on hand. Made with pearled barley, a variety of vegetables and traditional Mediterranean herbs, it is nutritious and comforting, as well as being budget friendly.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It is quickly and easily made, making it perfect when you want a family-friendly, nourishing meal and you don’t have a lot of time.
- You will love the mix of colour and Mediterranean flavours that the variety of vegetables provides.
- Like my Mediterranean Red Lentil Soup, this meal is made in one pot meaning easier clean up – always good!
- The soup will be suitable for vegans if the Parmesan is omitted.
- You can easily customise the ingredients in this soup to suit your family’s taste; switch up the vegetables for those you prefer or have on hand.
- You do not need any special culinary skills to make this traditional Barley and Vegetable Soup. It is such a simple recipe that it is perfect for novice cooks and experienced cooks alike.
Recipe Inspiration: like my Creamy Chicken and Barley Soup, we love pearl barley as an ingredient. It is perfect for soup as it maintains its chewy texture which is so delicious.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – an essential element in the much-acclaimed Mediterranean diet. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Brown/yellow onion – this is the onion most frequently used when cooking. You can use white onion if you prefer.
- Carrot – the carrot adds colour, flavour and nutrients.
- Celery – one of the trio of vegetables in the flavour base.
- Garlic – for the best result, use fresh cloves. The flavour is superior to bottled or pre-minced.
- Flat leaf parsley – for flavour, we use both the stems and leaves.
- Pearl barley – adds great texture and flavour to this soup. Pearl/pearled barley has the husks removed and is then polished (hence “pearled”). It is the variety you are most likely to find in the supermarket. It also has a nutty, chewy texture when cooked.
- Chopped tomatoes - if you only have whole tinned tomatoes, chop them a little and add to the soup with their liquid.
- Vegetable stock – use homemade stock or a good quality commercial variety.
- Dried chilli flakes – add a little spice.
- Dried basil and dried oregano – these traditional herbs add great flavour.
- Fresh rosemary leaves - in this instance, we prefer the fresh herb. If you only have the dried herb, use one third of the amount as it is concentrated.
- Parmesan rind – adds great flavour to the soup. I recommend that you always keep your rinds. They can be frozen until you need them.
- Baby spinach – adds flavour and colour.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – add to suit your taste, and according to the saltiness of the stock.
- Grated Parmesan cheese – add when serving or serve separately.
Variations:
Herbs - use other varieties such as fresh basil or marjoram if you prefer.
Lemon juice – a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving brightens all the flavours.
Barley – the variety you are most likely to find is pearl/pearled barley. If you prefer to use hulled, it will take a little longer to cook.
How To Make Mediterranean Barley and Vegetable Soup:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Sauté the soffritto:
Add olive oil to a large saucepan, and over medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently for about 8 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally. Add the finely chopped parsley stems and garlic to the pan and sauté for one minute.
2 – Add in other ingredients:
Add the pearl barley, tomatoes, stock, herbs and parmesan rind.
3 – Simmer the soup:
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and simmer gently for about 35-40 minutes until the vegetables and pearl barley are cooked.
4 – Stir through the baby spinach:
Add the spinach leaves. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Cook just until the spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat, remove and discard the parmesan rind and serve with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.
Hint: always ensure the soup is seasoned to your liking - a little salt and pepper can make such a big difference, and the taste will vary depending on the saltiness of the stock.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
It does not need to be soaked; it will cook quickly with the vegetables.
No, it is not gluten-free. If you want a gluten-free soup, you may like my Quinoa and Vegetable Soup.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave. It will have thickened slightly on standing, so you may need to add more stock or water.
It freezes very well. Once cooled, store in the freezer for up to three months. Be sure to clearly label and date the container as frozen objects can be difficult to identify. It can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave – you may need to add a little stock or water to thin it out.
Top Tip:
Two things that often get wasted that we LOVE to use are parsley stems and Parmesan rind.
The parsley stems; they have great flavour and are ideal to add to soups, stews or stocks. I finely chop them and add them to pasta sauces too, like my Spicy Tuna and Tomato Pasta.
Parmesan rinds add great flavour, so store your leftovers in a Ziploc bag in the freezer to use as required.
Serving Suggestions:
This easily made Mediterranean Barley and Vegetable Soup is an ideal one-pot, meat-free meal which needs no more than some bread to accompany it.
It can be enjoyed with:
- Our very easy No-Knead Spelt Focaccia.
- A small squeeze of lemon juice; it really enhances the flavours.
- Friends and family as part of a potluck or relaxed meal.
This hearty, nourishing Mediterranean Barley and Vegetable Soup is certain to become a regular addition to your meal plans. Easy to make as well as comforting and sustaining, it is also family friendly. A great bonus!
Alex xx
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Mediterranean Barley and Vegetable Soup
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
- 1 large brown/yellow onion - peeled and cut into a rough dice
- 2 large carrot - washed, roughly diced
- 3 ribs celery - roughly diced
- 3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 6 parsley stems (leaves set aside for garnish) - finely chopped
- 200 g (1 cup) pearl barley - rinsed well and drained
- 400 g (14 oz) tin of crushed tomatoes
- 5 cups (1.25 litres) chicken or vegetable stock See Note 2
- 1 piece Parmesan rind – about 7 ½ cm/3 inches See Note 3
- ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary - finely chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach - firmly packed
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste See Note 4
To Serve:
- parsley leaves - finely chopped
- Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large saucepan, and over medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently for about 8 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally. Add the finely chopped parsley stems and garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the pearl barley, tomatoes, stock, herbs and parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and simmer gently for about 35-40 minutes until the vegetables and pearl barley are cooked.
- Add the spinach leaves and stir them in. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Cook just until the spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat, remove and discard the Parmesan rind and serve with a drizzle of olive oil, the finely chopped parsley leaves and grated parmesan.
Notes
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Stock: chicken or vegetable are both suitable for this recipe.
- Parmesan Rind: a small piece of leftover Parmesan rind softens as the soup cooks and adds great flavour.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add more red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat.
- Storage and reheating: store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave. The soup may thicken while standing, so just add some more stock or water. We recommend reheating gently, so the cream does not split.
- Freezing: allow to cool completely before storing the soup in a freezer safe container for up to three months.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Ruth says
I am currently enjoying your soup (topped with a huge dollop of Pesto and a squeeze of Lime juice)👌❤️.
Alexandra Cook says
Sounds delicious, Ruth!
Thank you so much. Alex xo