This barley soup gives you a hearty, nourishing one-pot meal packed with vegetables, legumes, and satisfyingly chewy whole grains.
If you love hearty grain and legume soups, try our Mediterranean orzo and beans, Mediterranean lentil soup, or French lentil soup next.
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Why you’ll love our barley soup!
This barley soup is one of my favorite soups on the entire site. ๐ฅฃ Barley has a wonderful chewy texture, a little like farro, and turns a simple vegetable soup into something deeply satisfying.
Itโs also packed with wholesome ingredients: barley, lentils, beans, potatoes, peas, and plenty of vegetables. ๐ฑ The combination makes every bowl naturally fiber-rich, filling, and a great fit for a balanced, Mediterranean-style way of eating.
I learned to love soups like this from my Nonna Lidia, who often cooked simple one-pot soups with grains, beans, and whatever vegetables she had around. Theyโre the kind of meals I still crave today.
Louise and I make this often when we want something nourishing but uncomplicated. โค๏ธ Everything simmers together in one pot until the barley is tender and pleasantly chewy and the broth becomes rich and flavorful. Simple ingredients, incredible comfort, and plenty of goodness in every bowl.
P.S: For more rustic, Mediterranean-inspired comfort, try our Mediterranean chickpea soup, Mediterranean pinto bean soup, or Tuscan white bean soup.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Extra virgin olive oil: builds a flavorful base. Substitute regular olive oil.
- Onion, celery, and carrots: the classic aromatic base for this vegetable barley soup. Yellow or white onion both work.
- Garlic: adds savory depth. If garlic intolerant, simply omit it and add a little extra onion, celery, or herbs.
- Dried rosemary: gives the broth a rustic Mediterranean flavor. Substitute thyme or Italian seasoning.
- Bay leaves: add subtle depth while the soup simmers. Omit if unavailable.
- Pearl barley: pleasantly chewy and satisfying. Substitute farro for a similar texture.
- Dried lentils: green or brown lentils are ideal because they cook in about the same time as the barley. Red lentils work too but break down more. You can use canned lentils; rinse and drain them, reduce the broth by 1 to 2 cups, and stir them in with the peas near the end.
- Vegetable broth: creates the savory base. Use low-sodium broth if preferred.
- Canned kidney beans: drain and rinse them before adding. Substitute canned pinto, cannellini, or cranberry beans. You can use dried beans, but soak and cook them separately first because they take much longer to cook than the barley and lentils.
- Crushed tomatoes: add body and gentle acidity. Substitute diced tomatoes or tomato passata.
- Potatoes: become tender and creamy. Yukon Gold, yellow, or russet potatoes work well.
- Frozen peas: add sweetness and color. Substitute chopped green beans.
- Salt and black pepper: season the soup to taste.
How to Make Barley Bean Soup
Step 1. Build the flavor base
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven.
Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots, then cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until they start to soften.
Stir in the garlic, dried rosemary, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 more minute, stirring often.
Step 2. Add the barley and lentils
Rinse the pearl barley and dried lentils well under running water.
Add them to the pot and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. This helps coat the grains and lentils in the aromatic base before the broth goes in.
Step 3. Simmer until tender
Pour in the vegetable broth, then add the crushed tomatoes, drained kidney beans, diced potatoes, salt, and black pepper.
Bring to a boil, then partially cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes.
Stir occasionally and cook until the barley is chewy-tender, the lentils are soft, and the potatoes are cooked through. Add a little more broth if the soup becomes too thick.
Stir in the frozen peas during the last 5 minutes.
Step 4. Taste and serve
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
Ladle this hearty barley soup into bowls and finish with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.
Parmesan and crusty bread are optional, but both are excellent with it.
Tips
- Use pearl barley: It cooks relatively quickly and gives the soup that distinctive tender, chewy texture. Hulled barley takes considerably longer.
- Rinse the barley and lentils: Give both a good rinse under running water before adding them to the pot.
- Donโt rush the flavor base: Let the onion, celery, and carrots soften before adding the garlic and rosemary. This gives the simple broth more depth.
- Use dried lentils for the easiest one-pot method: Green or brown lentils cook in roughly the same window as pearl barley, so they work particularly well together.
- Using canned lentils? Drain and rinse them, reduce the broth by 1 to 2 cups, and add them with the peas near the end.
- Watch the barley, not just the clock: Brands can vary. Simmer until the grains are tender but still pleasantly chewy.
- Keep extra broth handy: Barley absorbs plenty of liquid as it cooks. Add more broth if the soup becomes thicker than you like.
- Expect leftovers to thicken: The barley continues absorbing broth as the soup sits. Loosen it with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Barley has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and a pleasantly chewy texture. If you enjoy farro, youโll probably enjoy barley too. It absorbs the flavors of the broth beautifully without losing its texture.
No. Pearl barley does not need to be soaked for this recipe. Simply rinse it well under running water before adding it to the pot.
Yes. Farro is a great substitute because it has a similarly satisfying, chewy texture. Cooking times can vary by type and brand, so check the package and simmer until the farro is tender to your liking.
Barley is very absorbent and continues soaking up liquid as it cooks and rests. Simply stir in additional vegetable broth or water until your Italian barley soup reaches the consistency you like.
Yes. In fact, the flavors develop nicely as it sits. Just remember that the barley will continue absorbing broth, so youโll probably need to add a splash of water or vegetable broth when reheating.
Let the soup cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It will thicken in the refrigerator, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
You can also freeze barley soup for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator or gently reheat it from frozen, adding more liquid as needed.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
- Healthy Vegetable Soup
- Lentil Vegetable Soup
- Spiced Lentil Soup
- Creamy Red Lentil Soup
- Lentil Noodle Soup
- Cowboy Bean Soup
- Greek Chickpea Soup
- Chickpea Stew
If you try this Barley Soup Recipe please leave a ๐ star rating and let us know how it turned out in the commentsโwe love hearing from you.
Barley Soup (with Beans & Potatoes)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 2 large carrots chopped
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- ยฝ teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- ยฝ cup pearl barley uncooked, or farro
- ยฝ cup dried lentils brown or green
- 6 cups vegetable broth plus more as needed to fully cook the barley (add it in batches if your pot is too small)
- 1 can kidney beans 15 oz / 400 g can โ drained and rinsed
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 oz / 400 g can
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size dice
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- โ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Build the flavor base: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pot. Add 1 medium onion, 1 rib celery, and 2 large carrots (all chopped) and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until they start to soften.Stir in 3 cloves garlic (grated), ยฝ teaspoon dried rosemary, and 2 bay leaves and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the barley and lentils: Rinse ยฝ cup pearl barley and ยฝ cup dried lentils under running water, then stir them into the vegetables. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Simmer the soup: Add 6 cups vegetable broth, 1 can kidney beans (rinsed), 1 can crushed tomatoes, 2 medium potatoes (diced), 1 teaspoon salt, and โ teaspoon black pepper.Bring to a boil, then partially cover, lower the heat, and gently simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The barley and lentils should be tender and the potatoes easy to pierce with a fork. Add more broth if needed.Stir in 1 cup frozen peas during the last 5 minutes.
- Taste and serve: Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, Parmesan and crusty bread.
Notes
- Extra virgin olive oil โ Regular olive oil.
- Onion โ Yellow or white onion.
- Celery and carrots โ No substitutions listed.
- Garlic โ Omit and add extra onion, celery, or herbs.
- Dried rosemary โ Thyme or Italian seasoning.
- Bay leaves โ Omit if unavailable.
- Pearl barley โ Farro.
- Dried lentils โ Green, brown, or red lentils. For canned lentils, drain and rinse, use 1โ2 cups less broth, and add with the peas.
- Vegetable broth โ Low-sodium vegetable broth.
- Canned kidney beans โ Canned pinto, cannellini, or cranberry beans. Dried beans work if soaked and cooked separately first.
- Crushed tomatoes โ Diced tomatoes or tomato passata.
- Potatoes โ Yukon Gold, yellow, or russet potatoes.
- Frozen peas โ Chopped green beans.
- Salt and black pepper โ Adjust to taste.
- Use pearl barley: It cooks faster than hulled barley and stays pleasantly chewy.
- Rinse well: Rinse barley and lentils under running water.
- Build the flavor base: Soften the onion, celery, and carrots before adding garlic and rosemary.
- Choose dried lentils: Green or brown lentils cook in about the same time as barley.
- Using canned lentils? Use 1โ2 cups less broth and add them with the peas.
- Check the barley: Cook until tender but still chewy.
- Keep broth handy: Add more if the soup gets too thick.
- Storage: Leftovers thicken as they sit; loosen with broth or water when reheating.
Nutrition
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Love this recipe. Delicious, satisfying, and chuck full of nutrients.
Love almost all of your recipes. Just what I am looking for: vegan, lots of grains, and just good for you.