2 cups COOKED barley (takes about 45 mins to cook – follow package instructions)
1 pound Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
4 cups of beef stock
1 cup of water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1–2 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste – I used 2)
1–2 tablespoons cornstarch (depending on thickness preference – I used 2)
4 teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
Cook your barley
Meanwhile, heat your olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat
Remove the casings from the turkey sausage, add to your pot, season with salt and pepper, and break up with a wooden spoon. Stir occasionally, further breaking up the pieces with a spoon, until browned
Add your onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in with the turkey sausage – season with salt and pepper
Cook for a few minutes until vegetables have softened a bit – add a splash of beef stock to deglaze the pot if it gets too dry
Add your pepper flakes and beef stock
Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer
Simmer for 30 mins
When the soup is done cooking, stir in your barley, soy sauce, and lemon juice*
In a small bowl, combine your cornstarch and enough cool water to make the mixture about the consistency of milk. Whisk thoroughly
Stir your cornstarch slurry into your soup and let simmer for a bit until it has thickened (it takes less than a minute)*