Mediterranean Barley and Vegetable Soup
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.
Servings 4 people
Calories 361kcal
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
Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 1378mg | Potassium: 807mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 11g | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 4mg
