Lemony Pearl Barley Soup
Published Feb. 22, 2024
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1yellow onion, finely diced
- 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1cup chopped fresh dill leaves and stalks
- Salt (preferably sea salt) and black pepper
- 1cup/6 ounces pearl barley
- 6cups vegetable stock
- 3 to 4tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon), plus extra wedges to serve
- 2ounces baby spinach
- Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt or crème fraîche, to serve
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
238 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 1101 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat a large pot over medium-high. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, half the dill and ½ teaspoon salt and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 2
Add the pearl barley and stock and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the barley is swollen and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Step 3
Turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Taste and make sure the seasonings are to your liking, adjusting salt and lemon as needed.
- Step 4
Stir in the spinach, allowing the residual heat to wilt the leaves.
- Step 5
Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with a dollop of yogurt and the remaining dill and drizzle generously with olive oil.
Private Notes
Comments
This was yummy! Added 2 carrots simply because I had them. Think it would be really good with orzo in place of the barley, too…
“Barley” Any Work… feels like such a missed pun opportunity!! This was delicious! Will make again… we added a pinch of cayenne (or try some chili flakes) for a little kick, and finished with chopped charred shrimp. Next time we will add some small diced Yukon Gold potatoes to thicken (or blend into the stock ahead of time to make it a bit heartier).
Am I crazy to think a soft poached egg would be good in this? Maybe, but I’ve done crazier things.
this was good. my little kids loved it, too.
Right at the end I added a tbsp of butter…. Sooo good!
5 stars. Comforting and thrillingly tasty, simple to make, happens to be vegan, very adaptable. No barley, use potatoes. Frozen spinach is fine. No spinach, use green beans or cabbage. Gf? use rice. Make it with veg or chicken stock, water, tea, bullion, cabbage cooking water, a slug of white wine, or whatever else you happen to have. Also perfect sickrel food - light and easy to eat but nutritious and comforting. Between the dill, lemon, and garlic, it’s excellent for immunity, lymphatic flow, settles the stomach and aids kidney function, balances blood sugar, modulates blood pressure, and provides fluids. And if you are cooking for yourself, it’s simple enough to make when you don’t feel well. I’ve made it twice now, loved it both times. It’s a keeper.