I’ve been seeing lots of fall recipes just about everywhere lately, and this Bean and Barley Soup is a great recipe for the summer-into-fall time of year and all winter long, for that matter! Not only does this soup have healthy beans and barley in it, it also has lots of veggies and it’s cooked in a veggie broth. So if you make it in the fall, you can use veggies from your garden or the Farmer’s Market. Or make it in the winter when it’s cold outside—there’s nothing like a hot bowl of soup on a winter day!
The veggies in this soup include carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes, and baby spinach. There’s also red kidney beans and some pearl barley. It’s easy to make, tastes great, and is low in calories. What’s not to like about it? 🙂
Bean and Barley Soup
BEAN AND BARLEY SOUP by NancyC, adapted from Homemade Soups Made Simple
Makes 6 servings, about 170 calories per serving
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups chopped or sliced carrots
- 1 1/4 cups sliced celery stalks
- 1 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes (or an equivalent amount of fresh diced tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley (I used Quaker® Quick Pearled Barley)
- 2 cups firmly packed chopped fresh baby spinach leaves
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top of each serving
Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the broth, beans, tomatoes, and barley. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 30 minutes or until barley is done.
Stir in chopped spinach leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook until spinach is tender.
Serve in soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Recipe from NancyC | nancy-c.com
Soup makes a great meal during the cool weather seasons, and I think homemade soup it so much better than any you can buy. What kind of homemade soups do you like to make?
Sharing at Thursday Favorite Things, Full Plate Thursday, Wonderful Wednesday, Hearth & Soul, Mix it Up Monday, Silver Pennies Sundays, Inspire Me Monday, Happiness is Homemade, Meal Plan Monday, Weekend Potluck, Fiesta Friday.
NancyC 
Perfect for this transitional season!🍁🍂Looks delicious.
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Thanks so much! 🙂
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Nancy, this looks so healthy and delicious!
Thanks for sharing this at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy.
Congrats for being featured at our 400th Anniversary Party! 🙂
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Thanks so much!!! 🙂
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I do love soup weather. I just may try this tonight!
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Hope you like the soup, Donna! 🙂
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What a delicious soup and just perfect for fall! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen
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