Lentil & Barley Soup
with carrots, celery, and tomatoes
Ingredients
- Garlic - 3 cloves, minced
- Onions - 1, diced
- Carrots, medium-sized - 4, chopped
- Celery - 2 ribs, chopped
- Lentils, French or green, uncooked - 2/3 cup
- Diced tomatoes (28 oz / 794 g can) - 1 can
- Bay leaves - 2
- Italian seasoning - 2 tsp
- Salt - 3/4 tsp
- Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
- Vegetable broth - 6 cups
- Barley, hulled or pearled, uncooked - 1/2 cup
- Baby spinach - 4 oz
- Sour cream (opt) - 4 Tbsp
Nutrition Facts
Prep
- Garlic / Onions / Carrots / Celery - Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 4 days ahead)
- Lentils - Rinse.
- Tomatoes - Drain.
- If slow cooking - Combine garlic, onions, carrots, celery, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and broth in slow cooker (note: while you could cook barley with the rest of the ingredients, the result is much slimier, so we highly recommend cooking separately). Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 3.5 to 4 hours. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Barley - Combine barley, water, and some salt in a saucepan, using a 1:3 barley to water ratio. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered until water has been mostly absorbed and barley is tender and chewy (~25 to 30 minutes for pearled barley or ~40 to 50 minutes for hulled barley). (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Make
- If not slow cooking - Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add some oil and then garlic, onions, carrots, and celery to heated oil. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes and then add lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper and broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until lentils and veggies are tender. Turn off heat.
- Remove bay leaf and stir in barley and spinach and season to taste with more salt, pepper, and spices. Divide into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Nutrition Facts
Reviews
Ratings
36 reviews
Wonderful soup. Reduced broth to 4 cups based on other reviews and it was just right for us. Looking forward to leftovers!
0 HelpfulMade it in the Dutch oven. Halved the (veggie) broth, used 6 diced Roma tomatoes (28 oz), plus a 14 oz can of crushed tomatoes. Added onion powder, garlic powder, and plenty of salt and pepper. Soooo flavorful and hearty, didn't even add the sour cream!
0 HelpfulI took the suggestion of two other reviewers and 1) pureed half the base before adding the barley and spinach to thicken the soup and 2) added chicken sun dried tomato sausage, which added a nice kick. All in all, very tasty!
0 HelpfulThis is now a go-to recipe for me since I have most of the ingredients in my kitchen at all times. It's so easy to just put together in the afternoon on Sunday for a satisfying and yummy meal before the work week starts!
0 HelpfulDaughter described it as "juicy" be of the nice broth and flavors. I added a splash of vinegar to brighten it up. Also added ground turkey.
0 HelpfulWe loved it! As writing this review I am adding it again to my weeks list of meals. Inexpensive (even completely organic) and tastes great!
0 Helpful