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Hearty Vegetable Barley Soup with White Beans

Vegetable barley soup with white beans simmers pearl barley, cannellini beans, and vegetables in a savory broth until tender. Kale and lemon juice add a fresh finish to this hearty one-pot soup.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
resting 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion medium, diced
  • 2 carrots medium, diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup pearl barley rinsed
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups kale chopped, tough stems removed
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Equipment

  • 1 6-quart Dutch oven

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
  2. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the vegetable broth, barley, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cover partially.
  5. Cook until the barley is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Stir in the cannellini beans and kale and simmer until the kale is tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
  7. Remove the bay leaf.
  8. Stir in the lemon juice.
  9. Let the soup rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For a thicker soup, let the barley simmer until tender and stir occasionally. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. For a gluten-free option, replace the barley with rice.