Cozy, hearty, and exactly what your body is craving! This barley lentil soup is packed with wholesome grains, veggies, and simple ingredients that simmer into comfort.
This nourishing meal is one you’ll want on repeat all season long when the cold weather hits.
It’s got great texture and tons of flavour.
Like my vegetable barley soup with beans, you can expect a wholesome, filling and delicious meal loaded with nutrients.
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Ingredients + Substitutions
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this delicious barley lentil soup recipe.
- Barley: Choose pearl barley for quicker cooking, so it cooks at the same time as the lentils.
- Lentils: I’m using green lentils, but brown lentils also work.
- Veggies: A mix of onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and baby spinach. Feel free to sub with vegetables of your choice or whatever you have in your fridge.
- Broth: I use my homemade bouillon powder mixed with water for a flavourful veggie broth.
- Tomato sauce: Use your favourite tomato sauce, tomato puree or fresh tomatoes.
- Spices: For added flavour, I’m using cumin, smoked paprika, bay leaves, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
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Instructions
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
- Add the onion, minced garlic, carrots and celery to a deep skillet or pot.
- Sauté until softened and fragrant.
- Add all the remaining ingredients except the spinach and lemon juice. Simmer until the lentils and barley are cooked.
- Turn off the heat and then add the baby spinach and lemon juice. Stir until the spinach is wilted.
Serve your barley lentil soup with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh parsley or cilantro, or an extra squeeze of lemon juice.
Variations
- If you don’t have barley on hand, try this dish with quinoa or brown rice.
- For the lentils, I prefer green or brown for this one, as red lentils get too soft. If using red lentils, increase the broth by an additional 1-2 cups.
- For the vegetables: Use what you have on hand and substitute as preferred. You may try collard greens, kale, mushrooms, peas, and/or fresh herbs of your choice.
- For heat, add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Equipment
To make this barley lentil soup recipe, I use our 12-inch Xtrema Ceramic Versa pan (photographed above). I like a wide pan for this, and it fits well as the pasta cooks.
Or use another large pot of your choice.
Storage
Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheat on the stovetop.
To freeze, use an airtight container and leave a little space at the top to allow for expansion. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Expert Tips
- Use a very flavourful broth! If your broth is lacking flavour, make sure to adjust the seasonings.
- If you don’t have any broth on hand, you can make some with this easy bouillon recipe. (I highly recommend this broth for its fantastic flavour.)
- Depending on your preferred thickness, use 6-8 cups of vegetable broth. For a thicker soup, use six cups. For a thinner soup, use eight. Remember: the soup will absorb more liquid as it cools.
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Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or ¼ cup broth
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 2 ribs celery sliced
- 1 cup green or brown lentils rinsed + sorted
- ½ cup pearl barley
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the cooking oil or ¼ cup of broth to your pot or skillet. Then sauté the onion, garlic, carrots and celery until softened, approx. 5 minutes.
- Add the lentils, barley, vegetable broth, tomato sauce, bay leaves, cumin and paprika to your pot and give everything a good mix. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils and barley are cooked, approx. 25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaves. Then, stir in the lemon juice and fresh spinach until wilted. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed.
Notes
- Use a very flavourful broth! If your broth is lacking flavour, make sure to adjust the seasonings.
- If you don’t have any broth on hand, you can make some with this easy bouillon recipe. (I highly recommend this broth for its fantastic flavour.)
- Depending on your preferred thickness, use 6-8 cups of vegetable broth. For a thicker soup, use six cups. For a thinner soup, use eight. Remember: the soup will absorb more liquid as it cools.
Nutrition
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