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–+ servings
Rustic barley soup with beans and potatoes served in natural window light.

Barley Soup (with Beans & Potatoes)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 large
Author: Nico Pallotta

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 rib celery chopped
  • 2 large carrots chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic grated
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ cup (100 g) pearl barley uncooked, or farro
  • ½ cup (100 g) 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 – drained and rinsed
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 oz / 400 g can
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size dice
  • 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
  • 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

  • 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), ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, and 2 bay leaves and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
    Step 1 Onion, celery, and carrots sautéing with garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves.
  • Add the barley and lentils: Rinse ½ cup pearl barley and ½ cup dried lentils under running water, then stir them into the vegetables. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
    Step 2 Pearl barley and lentils stirred into softened vegetables and aromatic herbs.
  • 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 ⅛ 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.
    Step 3 Barley soup simmering with beans, potatoes, lentils, tomatoes, and broth.
  • 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.
    Step 4 Finished barley soup served with olive oil and cracked black pepper.
Substitutions
  • Extra virgin olive oil → Regular olive oil.
  • Onion → Yellow or white onion.
  • Celery and carrots → No substitutions listed.
  • Garlic → Omit and add extra onion, celery, or herbs.
  • Dried rosemary → Thyme or Italian seasoning.
  • Bay leaves → Omit if unavailable.
  • Pearl barley → Farro.
  • Dried lentils → Green, brown, or red lentils. For canned lentils, drain and rinse, use 1–2 cups less broth, and add with the peas.
  • Vegetable broth → Low-sodium vegetable broth.
  • Canned kidney beans → Canned pinto, cannellini, or cranberry beans. Dried beans work if soaked and cooked separately first.
  • Crushed tomatoes → Diced tomatoes or tomato passata.
  • Potatoes → Yukon Gold, yellow, or russet potatoes.
  • Frozen peas → Chopped green beans.
  • Salt and black pepper → Adjust to taste.
 
Tips
  • 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 1–2 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.
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