Barley & Potato Soup

P4's Note:

This recipe is from a dear friend, and it has become one of my weekly comfort meals in the winter. It is absolutely delicious, and you can tweak it all you like. It is very fast to put together and almost completely fat-free. I love this soup.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 6 cups chicken broth or 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup medium barley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 small celery rib, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 2 medium potatoes, 1/2 inch dice
• grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring the broth to a boil and add the barley.
2. Stir, then let simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a saute pan over medium heat.
4. Add the onion, celery, garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, and the remaining herbs and saute until the vegetables are softened but not browned (about 5-6 minutes.) When the barley has cooked for 30 minutes, add this mixture to it along with the carrots and potatoes.
5. Cook everything together at a simmer for another 30 minutes.
6. Serve with a generous sprinkle of parmesan on top.

Reviews

[bert]

This was a very tasty soup, simple and fast to make. I love barley so this recipe caught my eye. I followed the recipe to the letter and I really enjoyed the soup. Thanks for the recipe, PetitFour!!

[Tracy K]

Delicious, hearty and filling... The fresh rosemary really makes this dish stand out! Full of veggies and lots of fiber; it tastes far less healthy than it really is, LOL! Edited to correct stars (don't know how that happened!) and say that this soup gets better with each day it sits in the fridge!

[Jade Chapek]

This soup was very good, though my husband and I both thought it could use a little more barley (and more broth to compensate, of course). We substituted cayenne pepper for the red pepper flakes, and added about a 1/2 cup of red wine for a little more body.