Easy Barley Soup with Vegetables

This easy barley soup with vegetables is rich, hearty, and naturally vegan. Made with loads of veggies and beans and seasoned with Italian herbs, the soup is the perfect comfort food for a chilly night.

If you were looking for a super versatile and easy recipe for barley soup with vegetables, you've just found it!

This easy barley soup with veggies is hearty and comforting while also being super easy to make. It's also the perfect base for a pearl barley soup that you can truly make your own.

What I like best about this pearl barley soup is that you can customize it any way you want. It's an excellent recipe for those moments where you want to use up any leftover veggies you may have in the fridge.

You can add courgettes, green beans, butternut squash and even mushrooms. If you're not a vegan or vegetarian, you can even make it with chicken.

What do you need to make this vegan barley soup?

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this soup. Most of the time, I have everything I need to make this soup in the house, so it's an excellent recipe for those times when you don't feel like going grocery shopping.

Pearl barley — Pearl barley is a type of barley that has been processed to make it easier to digest. The outer hull of pearl barley is removed during processing, making this type of barley easier to digest than other types such as hulled or pot barley.

Onion, carrot and celery — These are the aromatics that build up the flavour of the soup. Try to dice them approximately equal, so they cook evenly.

Italian seasoning — Italian seasoning is a mix of herbs that typically includes thyme, rosemary and oregano. You can add half a teaspoon of dried oregano, thyme and rosemary instead. Alternatively, you can also use fresh herbs.

Red chilli flakes — I only add half a teaspoon of red chilli flakes, but if you'd like your soup to be more on the fiery side, feel free to add more.

Vegetable stock — Either homemade or shop-bought stock is fine for this soup. Homemade is always better, of course, but it's often quicker to use some ready-made stock. Just make sure you pick a vegan one.

Cannellini beans — I use canned cannellini beans for convenience, but you can use dried ones instead. Just make sure you soak them and boil them for 40-45 minutes before using them in the soup. You can also use any other type of white beans you want.

Baby spinach — You can substitute the baby spinach with kale if you want.

Lemon juice — I love this soup with lemon juice for a bit of extra tang and brightness, but that's totally optional. The soup is still amazing without it.

How do you make this barley soup with vegetables?

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook the onion, carrot and celery over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant. Next, stir in the Italian seasoning and chilli flakes.
• Add the pearl barley and vegetable stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered with a lid, for 20-25 minutes until the pearl barley is tender.
• Add the cannellini beans and spinach and continue to simmer for 4-5 minutes until the beans are heated through, and the spinach has wilted.
• Stir in the lemon juice, season to taste and serve with extra lemon slices and crusty bread.

Recipe notes and tips

• If you want this veggie barley soup to be even heartier, you can add some potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and add them with the pearl barley.
• You don't need to soak the pearl barley, but you should rinse it with cold water in a colander before adding it to the soup.
• This veggie barley soup can be frozen for up to three months in an airtight container. You'll find that the barley will continue to expand, so make sure you allow enough space at the top.

If you liked this easy barley soup with vegetables, have a look at some of my other delicious vegan soup recipes:

• Creamy Spiced Chickpea Soup with Coconut and Lime
• Vegan White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Garlic
• Vegan Harira (Moroccan Chickpea and Lentil Soup)
• Lebanese Lentil Soup with Lemon and Kale
• Vegan Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

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