Lentil and Barley Soup
Ever since the temperature dropped, every lunch and dinner at my house has started with a steaming bowl of soup.
I love soup. And it has so much going for it nutritionally, too.
To me, soup is a great way to get fluids in winter, when a glass of water doesn't sound quite as appealing as it does in summer. It's also an easy way to eat more vegetables and legumes.
Yes, fresh vegetables in a salad are great. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with cooking your vegetables and eating them in a rich, hearty soup.
They still provide plenty of minerals, vitamins, and fiber.
Add legumes and whole grains, and you've got a nourishing, warming meal in a bowl.
Lentils:
I like adding green lentils to soup for their deep, rich flavor—and their generous helping of protein and fiber.
Then, just for fun, I toss in a good handful of barley. Hulled or pearl barley both work, and either brings more fiber, protein, and carbohydrates to the pot.
About This Lentil and Barley Soup
This soup is full of vegetables: sweet potato, potato, carrots, celery, and more. Feel free to leave something out or add a vegetable you love.
Want to use Jerusalem artichokes instead of potatoes? Go for it. Not a carrot fan but love pumpkin? That's a great swap.
Just make sure you have at least 5 vegetables filling the pot. Otherwise, the soup will feel a little skimpy.
For a rich, flavorful broth, I use celery stalks and leaves, plus a bunch of parsley. You can substitute parsley root or celery root; both give the soup wonderful flavor and aroma.
The spices might be the most important part. There's a whole world of spice blends to choose from. I use hawaij for soup (a savory Yemenite spice blend popular in Israel), with extra cumin because I think it's especially good here. Curry powder or ras el hanout (a North African spice blend) would work, too.
To get the most flavor from your spices, briefly cook them in oil. This is called "blooming"—and it makes a difference.
Nutrition
A bowl of lentil and barley soup weighing 650–700 g (about 23–25 oz) contains:
- 300 calories
- 10 g protein
- 53 g carbohydrates
- 7 g fat
Looking for another barley recipe?
Lentil and Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) uncooked green lentils 1/2 cup
- 150 g (5.3 oz) pearl barley 1/2 cup
- 1 sweet potato peeled and diced — 300 g (10.6 oz)
- 2 carrots peeled and diced — 200 g (7 oz)
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and chopped — 300 g (10.6 oz)
- 2 stalks celery, plus the leaves washed and thinly sliced
- 1 handful chopped parsley
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons olive oil 40 ml (1.35 US fl oz)
- 1 tablespoon hawaij for soup
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 level tablespoon coconut sugar 15 g (0.5 oz)
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 3 liters (about 12 2/3 cups) water
Instructions
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The night before making the soup, rinse the lentils thoroughly to remove any dust. Cover with water and soak overnight.
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The next day, drain the lentils and set aside.
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Rinse the barley thoroughly and set aside.
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In a large, deep soup pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent.
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Add the hawaij, cumin, sugar, and salt. Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes to bloom the spices in the oil.
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Add the lentils and barley and sauté for a few minutes.
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Add the vegetables, stir well, and continue sautéing so they soak up the seasoning.
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Add the water, sprinkle the chopped parsley over the top, and bring to a boil.
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Use a spoon to skim off any foam around the edges of the pot, then reduce the heat.
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Simmer for at least 1 hour.
Recipe Video
A Couple of Notes
This soup tastes even better the next day.
If the barley drinks up all the broth and you're looking at more of a stew than a soup, add more liquid and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add a little more seasoning to bring the flavor back up, too.
