This has felt like the longest summer I’ve ever experienced. As of a few days ago, we were still hitting temperatures near the 90’s. Did Mother Nature forget to check the calendar? It is already late October?! Truthfully, I love living in a warmer climate. I’ve done my time with cold and snow and I learned it wasn’t for me. That being said, I can’t help but crave a few cooler (not cold) days so I can indulge in winter comfort foods. We are finally cooling off here in Texas and I’m going full out on my comfort food recipes.
I’ve been craving soup lately but my brain has also been wandering back to my recipe for Baby Bella Shepherd’s Pie. The solution? Turn the base of that shepherd’s pie into a soup! The result? Pure satisfaction! This soup is hearty and rich in flavor. Anyone who eats this is going to think you slaved away in the kitchen all day when, in fact, it is simple to make. Bonus? This is one of those recipes that tastes even better as leftovers.
Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 large carrots, cut into 1/4" slices
- 2 large parsnips, cut into 1/4" slices
- 2 lb white mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2/3 cup pearl barley
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and parsnips, cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper. Cook until mushrooms start to sweat. Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir until evenly coated. Pour in diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth and wine. Stir in tomato paste and barley. Increase heat to bring pot to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 45 minutes or until barely is cooked through.
Notes
- Having a hard time pulling those thyme leaves off of the stem? Grab a few sprigs and tie them together with kitchen twine. Toss the whole bundle into the soup and simply remove the bundle when soup is fully cooked.
- This is a thick, hearty soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can add water after simmering until you reach the consistency you desire.
