Vegetable and Barley Soup Recipe

This delicious and wholesome vegetable and barley soup will warm you up and fill you up! And with pearl barley as its main ingredient, this makes it a very healthy soup recipe that you can certainly try for yourself at home.

But first, some information about pearl barley. Pearl barley, also known as pearled barley, is whole grain barley that has been processed to remove its fibrous outer hull and polished to remove some or all of the bran layer. Because it cooks faster and is less chewy than other, less-processed forms of the grain like hulled barley, it has become the most common form of barley for human consumption. Fine barley flour is also prepared from milled pearl barley.

Pearl Barley Health Benefits

Pearl barley is similar to wheat in its caloric, protein, vitamin and mineral content, though some varieties are higher in lysine. Like other barley, pearl barley have many different benefits for the heart, blood pressure and bones. It can also help with weight loss and weight management. It is also high in mangenese and selenium, which are important minerals part of the recommended daily diet.

Pearl barley also contains other nutrients that offer a lot of health benefits, including:

• Reduce high blood pressure
• Promote healthier bones
• Prevent buildup of homocysteine that can damage blood vessels that leads to heart issues
• Help fight cancer cells
• Reduce chronic inflammation
• Help with digestion and prevent constipation
• Perfect for weight management and weight loss

Vegetable and Barley Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 400g whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 6 cups stock
• 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed

Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook until the onion has softened.  Add the tomato, chopped zucchini and stock.
3. Bring to the boil and add the barley. Once boiling, reduce to simmer, partially covered for 50 minutes or until the barley is soft.
4. Serve hot.

For more delicious and healthy soup recipes, check out our recipe section.