Pearled Barley Vegetable Soup with White Bean and Kale
 
 
Author:
Serves: 8-10 Servings
Ingredients
  • 64 oz (about 8 cups) 1.8 kg vegetable (or chicken) broth
  • ¾ cup (132 g) uncooked pearled barley
  • 15.5 oz (about 2 cups) 439 g white beans (cannellini beans), thoroughly rinsed if using canned
  • 1 container (8 oz/227 g) sliced mushrooms of choice
  • 6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 medium size red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 bunch kale, washed and chopped or torn into bite sized pieces (discard thick stems and work from greenery)
  • 1 large purple onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • Handful of sprouts or shredded cabbage for topping, optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Sauté garlic, onion and mushrooms in a skillet set to low-medium heat with some olive oil until onion is translucent and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large pot on stove set to medium heat, pour vegetable (or chicken) broth and add pearl barley, sliced carrots, red pepper and white beans.
  3. Add cooked garlic, onion and mushroom to the pot and stir to combine.
  4. Raise the heat and allow soup to come to a gentle boil and then cover pot and reduce to simmer until barley is cooked through (it will swell up in the pot) about 20 minutes.
  5. Add kale to soup, stirring to combine.
  6. Serve the soup in individual bowls or cups and top with sprouts or shredded cabbage, as desired.
  7. Stay warm!
Notes
The Broth: If you are buying the vegetable/chicken broth for this recipe, try to find one without all the additives especially if you are MSG sensitive (a migraine trigger for many). The majority of commercial soup brands contain the flavour enhancer MSG but you wouldn't necessarily be aware of this without investigating the ingredient list -- monosodium glutamate. The good news is that most grocery stores carry at least one or more natural soup brands with low-sodium, MSG free broth (they will frequently label "MSG Free" directly on the front package).
Seasoning: You can season this soup any way you desire. It's perfectly fine on it's own but I also like to serve it with a splash of soy, balsamic and/or worcestershire sauce before topping it with coleslaw (shredded cabbage).
Heat: If you're in the mood for thermogenic heat, you can add some chopped chili peppers, chili powder/flakes, a pinch of cayenne or chipotle as desired. Smoked paprika would also make a delicious variation.
Adjusting Thickness: Depending on how thick you like your soup, you may wish to add more broth once the barley is cooked and you see what the consistency is. I love broth and find it comforting to sip on so I make little adjustments as I go along.
Recipe by Inspired Edibles at https://www.inspirededibles.ca/2013/12/pearled-barley-vegetable-soup-with.html