Easy roasted vegetable barley soup is made from a mix of vegetables like mushrooms & spinach for a hearty, yet healthy winter soup recipe.
Although it was 56 degrees today, I’m not giving up on soup season just yet.
Especially living in RI, I know better than to get my hopes up for springtime because as soon as I do, BAM- a winter storm warning is issued for 6 feet of snow.
So, I’ll continue to love on my winter recipes like this roasted vegetable barley soup until mother nature decides to stop playing games with my heart 😉 .
This easy vegan barley soup is made with a bunch of roasted veggies, thyme, fresh spinach and a squeeze of lemon juice.
It’s hearty, flavorful and loaded with good-for-you antioxidants, vitamins and fiber.
Roasted vegetable barley soup ingredients:
- Assorted Vegetables (I used mushrooms, broccoli, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and winter squash)
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Dried thyme
- Vegetable stock
- Dried barley
- Lemon juice
- Fresh baby spinach
The great thing about this recipe is you can follow the recipe or use whichever vegetables work for you.
Roasting the vegetables releases their natural sugars, causing them to caramelize which creates amazing flavor and one delicious barley soup recipe!
How to make Roasted Vegetable Barley Soup:
- Place vegetables on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes until softened.
- Heat olive oil in large sauce pan or Dutch oven. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook 5-6 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and thyme. Cook 1 minute.
- Stir in vegetable stock, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, add barley, lower to a simmer and cook 15-20 minutes until barley is cooked.
- Stir in roasted vegetables, spinach and lemon juice.
Do you have to cook barley before adding to soup?
No, you don’t have to precook the barley! It gets added to the boiling liquid and cooks as the soup does.
What can you substitute for barley in soup?
You can use any whole grain you’d like: farro, quinoa or buckwheat would be good substitutes for the barley.
For more healthy vegetarian soup recipes try:
- Winter Vegetable Lentil Soup
- Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup with Chickpeas
- Ribollita Soup (Tuscan Vegetable Soup)
Roasted Vegetable Barley Soup
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup winter squash cubed (butternut, acorn, delicata)
- 1 bell pepper sliced thin
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
Barley Soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 carrot sliced
- 2 celery sticks sliced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup dried barley
- 2 cups fresh spinach or other leafy green
- lemon juice from half a lemon
- parmesan cheese optional, for serving
Instructions
Roasted Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Evenly spread vegetables on large baking sheet or 13"x 9" baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and basil. Toss to evenly coat.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until vegetables are softened and slightly browned. Remove and set aside.
Barley Soup
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add onions, carrots, celery, a pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Stir in thyme and garlic. Cook 1 minute.
- Add vegetable stock, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, add barley, turn heat down to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until barley is fully cooked.
- Stir in roasted vegetables, fresh spinach and lemon juice. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Did you Make this Recipe? Comment below!