Sausage, Vegetable, and Barley Stew
- Author: Annie Chesson
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 4 2-cup servings 1x
- 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
- 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)*
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve!