Soup season is almost over, people! I have mixed feelings about this. I absolutely love fall and winter food – it is my fave. BUT – I prefer warm weather itself DEEPLY over cold weather. I am absolutely itching for it to be warm outside so we can go do alllllll the things.
I’ve become so much more of an outside person since I’ve had kids because they love being outside SO much. It makes me want to just be out all day, or just sit outside while they play in the yard!
Come onnnnnn spring and summer!
However – down side, it’s less common to eat yummy foods like this insanely delicious and crazy satisfying vegetable barley soup!
This pot of happiness contains everything I love about soup – not overly brothy, super hearty, ultra flavorful, so comforting.
Here’s who’s invited to the party:
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Barley
- Thyme
- Pepper flakes
- Fire roasted tomatoes
- Broth
- A few bay leaves
- Kale
That all works it’s magic together for about an hour and – BAM – super healthy, super soul filling, super extra delicious vegetable barley soup!
Please, for the love of GOD, toast some crusty bread and add heaping piles of it next to your bowl, because what is a bowl of soup without some crusty bread?! Please be advised: this soup will travel sharply from a level 10 to a level 17 with the addition of some crusty bread (preferably the kind that has been spread with butter and rubbed with a raw garlic clove after toasting).
This is my goodbye to cooler weather and my hopeful hello to some soon-to be-warmth! Get me outsiiiidddeeeeeee please and thx, March!
Loaded Vegetable and Barley Soup
This super hearty soup is filling, delicious, and so healthy!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 5 stalks of celery, sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup uncooked pearled barley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 8 cups veggie broth (2 32 oz boxes)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 bunch kale, leaves removed from stems, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium – medium high heat, add some olive oil + your onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Season well with salt and pepper and saute until the onion has softened
- Add your barley, stir to combine, and let cook for a minute or two, stirring often
- Add your thyme, pepper flakes, canned tomatoes, veggie broth, and bay leaves. Season well with salt and pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer
- Simmer, covered, for an hour, stirring occasionally
- In the last 5 minutes, add your kale and stir to combine
- Season to taste and serve!
Notes
I LOVE serving this with some toasty, crusty bread. I slice a french loaf and spread both sides with butter, bake the bread in a 350 degree oven until golden brown, and then I rub a clove of raw garlic across the top of each slice. Heaven!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 123
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 225 mg
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and tag @thegarlicdiaries so I can see!
I just made this soup for the first time tonight, and it was delicious as well as really health tasting! Really, the best vegetable soup I’ve ever had. Hearty, too – and really easy to make. Two observations: 1) pot barley is fine to use because of the length of time you’re cooking it, and it is the healthier option, 2) I used 1/4 tsp. of chili pepper flakes instead of 1/8 tsp. That’s entirely a matter of personal taste; my husband and I both like a little heat. This one is a keeper!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for the comment, Joanne! So glad this recipe was a hit for you guys!