This winter has been really great for soup recipes. I’ve already prepared a nice handful of them and plan on continuing until the end of the season. When spring rolls around, I’ll probably focus on lighter fare, but for now, soup it is. And today’s recipe shouldn’t disappoint because I’ve got a robust barley and bean one to share with you. It’s perfect for a cold winter’s day, so read on!
The recipe
This recipe is super easy to make and it follows the same set of steps so many others do. Prep and soften some vegetables, cook the grain, combine and simmer. Eat. Today’s recipe is just that simple and what you’ll end up with is a nice pot full of great tasting soup that offers a robust and chewy texture. The barely in this soup really adds a lot to the entire dish. There’s also collard greens involved, so there’s some interesting flavor and texture. Add in the standard carrots, onion, mushroom and other common ingredients and you’ll be set for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Serves: 8
2 Cups Barley, Cooked
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Carrots, Diced
1 Large Sweet Onion, Diced
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 Cups Mushrooms, Chopped
6 Cups Vegetable Broth
1 15-Ounce Can White Great Northern Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
7 Cups Collard Greens, Stemmed and Chopped
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Thinly
Step-by-Step Instructions
I’d like to thank my new favorite cookbook titled Holiday Recipes by Favorite Brand Name Recipes. I’m discovering the true wealth that can be found inside of this book and I’m very pleased that I purchased it. I’ll be sharing recipes from it for a long time to come.
Cook the Barley
For this step, you’ll need to follow the instructions on your package of barley. Personally, I brought 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil over high heat in a medium sized saucepan. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of salt to it. Then, I added one cup of barley to the pot, reduced the heat to low, covered the pot and allowed the barley to cook for 45 minutes. After that, I removed the pot from the heat and fluffed the barley with a fork.
Soften the Carrots, Onions & Garlic
Warm a large Dutch oven over medium heat on your stove top. Then, once the pot is to temperature, add the olive oil to it. After that, add the carrots, onions and garlic. Stir and let cook for about five minutes.
Next, add the mushrooms to the Dutch oven, stir and cook for another five minutes.
Add Broth, Barley & Beans
After that, go ahead and add in the broth, barley, beans, sugar and thyme. Increase the heat to high and wait for the broth to begin boiling. When it does, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow everything to simmer for about five minutes. Then, add in the collard greens and continue simmering for another ten minutes. When finished, add the vinegar and stir well.
Plate & Serve
Divide the soup between bowls and top each bowl with some slices of the red bell pepper as a garnish. You may season with salt and pepper if you wish. Enjoy!
The Final Barley Soup
This recipe was straightforward and great tasting. It also makes a pretty good amount of soup, so if you’re not feeding eight people, you should certainly have some leftovers. Enjoy the dish and let me know your thoughts on it in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
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