Easy Vegetable Soup with Barley (or Farro)

Enjoy this cozy, hearty vegetable soup with barley (or farro) full of fresh veggies and flavor. Perfect for a healthy, filling meal!

Why You'll Love This Veggie Barley Soup Recipe 

• Soups are great for chilly days! I love soups, especially when the weather turns chilly. But really, it doesn't need to be cold to enjoy a good bowl! Just think of the healthy folks along the Mediterranean coast - they may not have much cold weather but enjoy soups year-round. Do you have an Instant Pot? Give my Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup a try!
• Eat more grains! Grains are a vital part of a healthy diet, and when paired with hearty vegetables, they deliver the essential nutrients our bodies need to thrive. My High-Protein Carrot and Lentil Soup is a perfect example, along with other staples like my Chickpeas and Spinach Curry recipe and beans.
• Add herbs like oregano or thyme, and you'll have a satisfying meal for lunch or dinner. Pair it with feta cheese or sour cream for an extra protein boost. Love feta cheese? Try my Easy Baked Feta and Tomatoes Pasta!
• You can use either barley or farro in this recipe. Both are fantastic options that will provide your body with essential nutrients, particularly protein and fiber.

Nutrition Benefits and Similarities Between Barley and Farro

• Both barley and farro are oval-shaped whole grains, meaning they are minimally processed and typically enjoyed in their natural state. As whole grains, they retain all three nutritious components, the bran, germ, and endosperm, providing fiber, minerals, and healthy fats.
• Barley is one of the world's oldest and most widely grown cereal grains, while farro is an ancient wheat variety commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. Barley is often found in Middle Eastern and European dishes, whereas farro is frequently featured in Italian soups, salads, and grain bowls.
• Both grains contain gluten, making them unsuitable for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. If you're gluten sensitive but still crave a rich, fudgy brownie, try my Gluten-Free Banana Almond Flour Brownies!
• In terms of cooking time, both typically require about 25-30 minutes to cook. However, pre-cooked farro available at retailers such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's can be prepared in just 10-15 minutes, offering a convenient option when short on time.
• Barley has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and becomes softer once cooked, while farro offers a deeper, nuttier taste and a firmer, chewier texture, ideal for adding extra bite to salads and soups.
• Nutritionally, farro is rich in dietary fiber, protein, and essential amino acids, making it a valuable choice for individuals seeking to enhance their nutrient intake. Similarly, barley is high in fiber and protein and contains B vitamins and beta-glucans, soluble fibers linked to improved heart health and increased HDL ("good") cholesterol.
• Whichever grain you choose, both support healthy digestion and overall wellness due to their high fiber content.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Onion, diced
• Garlic, minced
• Carrots, diced
• Celery stalks, diced
• Bell pepper, diced (any color)
• Zucchini, diced
• Farro or barley (rinsed if necessary): If you're using pre-cooked grains from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, they'll be ready in about 10-13 minutes. For uncooked grains, follow the package directions, they'll need a longer cooking time, so adjust accordingly.
• Tomato sauce
• Water (or vegetable broth for more flavor): I prefer plain water for this recipe. However, if you like, you can opt for vegetable stock or a mixture of half water and half stock. Remember that store-bought vegetable broth can be high in sodium, which you may want to avoid. Using water eliminates concerns about added salt or unnecessary ingredients. Plus, with all the spices we're including, the soup will be packed with flavor.
• Dried thyme
• Dried oregano
• Cumin 
• Salt (to taste)
• Fresh spinach
• Juice of lemon (optional, for brightness)

How To Make Vegetable Barley Soup

1. Step 1: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and sauté for about 3 minutes or until they soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

2. Step 2: Add the bell pepper and zucchini. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften.

3. Step 3: Add the farro or barley, tomato sauce, water, thyme, oregano, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine.

4. Step 4: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the farro or barley is tender and the flavors have melded.

5. Step 5: Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 3-5 minutes until the spinach wilts. Add a lemon juice of ½ lemon for brightness if desired.

6. Step 6: Taste and adjust salt as needed. Ladle into bowls and enjoy your warming, nutritious vegetable soup!

Vegetable Soup with Barley (or Farro) FAQs

Other Healthy Soup Recipes to Try

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3.50 from 2 votes

Vegetable Soup with Barley (or Farro)

Dr. Nena Stefanovic

Enjoy this cozy, hearty vegetable soup with barley (or farro) full of fresh veggies and flavor. Perfect for a healthy, filling meal!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 173kcal

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Ingredients

 

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• ▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion small, diced
• ▢ 1 clove garlic minced
• ▢ 2 carrots diced
• ▢ 2 celery stalks diced
• ▢ 1 bell pepper diced (any color)
• ▢ 1 zucchini diced
• ▢ 1 cup barley or farro, rinsed if necessary
• ▢ 1 cup tomato sauce in a jar
• ▢ 5 cups water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon thyme dried
• ▢ ½ teaspoon oregano dried
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
• ▢ 2 cups spinach fresh
• ▢ ½ lemon juice

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and sauté for about 3 minutes or until they soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
• Add the bell pepper and zucchini. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften.
• Add the farro or barley, tomato sauce, water, thyme, oregano, cumin (if using), and salt. Stir to combine.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, covered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the farro or barley is tender and the flavors have melded.
• Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 3-5 minutes until the spinach wilts. Add a lemon juice of ½ lemon for brightness if desired.
• Taste and adjust salt as needed. Ladle into bowls and enjoy your warming, nutritious vegetable soup!
• A quick tip: To thicken your soup, blend a portion with an immersion or regular blender, then stir it back into the pot. This creates a creamy texture without needing any dairy!

Notes

• These is the nutrition facts for 1 serving of this recipe. Total servings for this recipe: 4-6 people.
• Refer to the post above for video instructions and other useful information.
• Nutrition information is an estimate and will depend on your specific ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 429mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5236IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg

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