Description
A hearty and wholesome vegetable barley soup filled with nutritious vegetables, tender barley, and flavored with fresh cilantro and optional red chili flakes. Perfect for a comforting and healthy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ onion diced
- 5 ribs celery chopped
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- Handful cilantro chopped
Grains and Broth
- 1 cup barley
- 7 cups vegetable broth
- Red chili flakes to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat to prepare for sautéing the vegetables.
- Sauté onion: Add the diced onion and sauté for 1 minute until slightly softened.
- Add celery and carrots: Stir in the chopped celery and sliced carrots, cooking for 4 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Cook garlic: Add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute to release its aroma.
- Add grains and vegetables: Pour in the barley and broccoli florets, then add the vegetable broth to the pot.
- Bring to boil and simmer: Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and cook until barley is tender, about 30 minutes.
- Finish with cilantro and spices: Stir in the chopped cilantro for freshness, sprinkle red chili flakes if desired, and serve the soup hot.
Notes
- Use high-quality vegetable broth or bouillon for richer and more complex flavor.
- For a thinner soup, add extra vegetable broth to adjust consistency.
- Sauté vegetables longer to caramelize and deepen soup flavor if preferred.
- To prevent the soup from thickening too much, store barley separately and add when serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
