Barley Vegetable Soup With Lentils

Bowl of lentil soup with barley
Lentil soup with barley photo by John Freeman/Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images
  • 70 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins,
  • Cook: 60 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings
Ratings (30)

By Jolinda Hackett

Updated 10/04/17

Vegetarian barley lentil soup combines whole grains, high-protein lentils and plenty of healthy and high-fiber vegetables, so it just couldn't possibly be better for you. This vegetarian barley soup recipe is very low in fat, as it uses no oil, butter or margarine, and, as a vegan recipe, it is naturally cholesterol-free.

This recipe only takes an hour to cook once you have chopped and sauteed the vegetables. You can prepare it for lunch or even make it the focus of a dinner. 

This is a soup that freezes well, and you can reheat it in the microwave or gently in a saucepan on the stovetop. Refrigerate leftovers to enjoy over the course of a few days, or, freeze individual portions to take into work or school to heat up for a work day lunch.

Like making healthy veggie soups? See these more easy homemade vegetable soup recipes.

This recipe is courtesy of the National Barley Foods Council. Like cooking with barley? Here are more healthy barley recipes to try.

What You'll Need

  • 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 7 cups vegetable broth, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup lentils, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup pearl barley
  • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (read the label - not all brands are vegetarian!)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

How to Make It

  1. Spray a 4-quart saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the carrots and celery; saute for 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
  4. Mix in 6 cups of vegetable broth, and also the mushrooms, lentils, barley, tomato paste, thyme, curry powder and bay leaf.
  5. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 60 to 70 minutes or until lentils and barley are tender, but not mushy.
  1. Blend in the remaining broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
  2. Remove the bay leaf and serve. 

Nutritional Information Per Serving

186 calories
10g protein
31g carbohydrate
10g fiber
4g fat
1092 mg sodium

Like cooking with lentils? Of course, you can use them in soup, but that isn't all. Here are more vegetarian lentil recipes to try:

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
Calories 184
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Unsaturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 1,032 mg
Carbohydrates 34 g
Dietary Fiber 6 g
Protein 11 g
(The nutrition information on our recipes is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)