A warming, filling vegan soup to bring you gently into the new year! This golden lentil barley soup is a house favorite because it’s so easy to make, soothing, and nutritious.
I’ve scheduled this post in advance, and as you are reading it, I’m taking a planned break from the internet, social media and this website. I’ll be back on the grid on January 1st, so I will respond to any questions or comments at that time. Thanks for understanding! I feel a lot better kicking off the new year with some time to myself.
I don’t have any specific resolutions this year. As usual, I’d love to eat healthier, exercise even more, change my furnace filter on time, be more perfect, etc. But looking back on 2016 it went pretty damn well. The usual suspects made appearances: laughter; tears; joy; loneliness; achievements and setbacks in my career and personal life; a bit of travel; lots of good food and a thankful few kitchen disasters. But I bought a house! Learned a lot at work. And met a really great person. I’ve no clue where I’m heading in 2017, but I’m looking forward to it.
I’ve been kind of a rice fiend for the past year or so, centering many of my easy weeknight meals around it. Lately I’ve tried to make myself branch out to other grains more again. My golden lentil barley soup uses one that I have always been really fond of, but for some reason, rarely use: pearl barley. The chewy texture and slightly malty flavor are amazing. If you want to make this gluten-free, the best substitute would be (perhaps ironically) rice.
This golden lentil barley soup is very gently spiced. You can add more or different spices to your taste. I chose to keep it simple here to let the wholesome lentil, barley and turmeric flavors shine. Also, I used fresh turmeric, which has been popping up more and more in stores in my area recently (sweet!). You can substitute ground, but I urge you to use fresh if you can find it. The difference is like the difference between fresh and ground ginger: ground ginger is great, but fresh ginger is a little bit magical.
Also, I should mention that my original inspiration for this recipe was the barley and creamy lentil soup I got at Au Bon Pain in JFK airport during a layover. It was the only decent vegan option I could find but it was a good one! JFK is seriously disappointing when it comes to vegan food, your options are mostly either junk food or cost $15. A 15-minute walk finally got me to Au Bon Pain who thankfully warmed my heart with some really quite tasty soup, labeled vegan so that this weary traveler didn’t have to inquire with anyone about it :). I liked the idea of adding tomato paste instead of fresh or canned chopped tomatoes, which take time to cook down but can’t be added until the lentils are already fully cooked. (The acid in the tomatoes causes legumes’ skins to seize up and prevents them from getting tender. I actually see many recipes online making this mistake!)
I had mine with a generous side of crispy roasted cauliflower. Texture, I tell ya! If you give this golden lentil and barley soup a try, let me know! It’s a great soup for staying both healthy and warm during this darkest time of the year. 🙂
Golden Lentil Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or refined coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger root minced or grated
- 1 inch fresh turmeric root minced or grated (or use 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric)
- 2 carrots peeled and diced or thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin heaping
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander heaping
- 4 and 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3/4 cups dry red lentils rinsed
- 1/2 cup dry pearl barley rinsed several times in hot water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp salt scant (plus more to taste)
- ground black pepper to taste (I used just a pinch)
- 3 cups loosely-packed fresh baby spinach leaves (or more, if you like - up to 6 ounces)
- (optional) fresh lemon juice, for serving
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large pot. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally; 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and fresh turmeric (if using), stir, and cook for another about 60 seconds or until softened and fragrant.
- Stir in the carrot, ground turmeric (if using), ground cumin, and ground coriander. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the spices are fragrant and the carrot softened slightly.
- Add the vegetable broth, red lentils, and pearl barley to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils and barley are both cooked through.
- Stir in the tomato paste, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the spinach, turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Remove after 2-3 minutes, or when the spinach is wilted to your preference.
- Serve hot, with a light squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired.
Recipe Notes
Seriously, do a really good job of rinsing the barley. I rinse mine by putting it in a bowl, filling the bowl with hot water, using my hands to agitate the barley and loosen the starches on the exterior, tipping out most of the water, and repeating this process 4 or 5 times. If you don't rinse well, you could end up with slimy barley and/or a glue-like consistency to your soup. Nobody wants that.
Other lentil recipes from the blog:
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Becca says
Love the flavor of the fresh turmeric and the hearty chewy barley! I added arugula and that wasn’t such a good choice but that was my fault! Spinach would be better! Word to the wise!
Bonnie says
Hi Becca I add chopped fresh kale when I’m heating it up and it gives great substance and extra nutrients. I also cook the barley, kamut or grains on hand and add as much as desired at the end . I large pot is good the the week
Ari says
So warming, yummy and easy! A favorite in our house!
Larry Harmon says
Wonderful! We added an extra carrot, but so good! My wife liked it, as you said, it was gently spiced.
thanks
Julia says
Ive made this recipe a couple of times and it’s so yummy! It’s super easy to make and I can use the leftovers for days to take work and it’s still good! I just use a carton of broth (so not the full 4 ½) because soup is a little too messy to take to work but it still tastes great!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thanks for your comment and tip for making it more transport friendly!
Krisha says
Just made this tonight for dinner and it was delish!!! Very easy to make, filling and flavorful. I added some diced celery also because I had some on hand. I also increased the amount of carrots because it seemed like it could use some more. I added a can of coconut milk just towards the end because the lentils and barley had absorbed so much of the 4.5 c of veggie broth. It was fantastic! Will definitely make again. Thanks!
Bonnie says
I love !! This soup and it’s so versatile, I use fresh torn kale and throw in chickpeas. So healthy , satisfying and packed with fiber and protein . Thanks so much
Lorenza says
Hi really awesome recipes thank you!.Plus it is kitchari (balance of cereal and legume in ayurveda) so quite balancing.
I have a question: my mum is allergic to carrots what can I replace that with?
Thanks
Lorenza
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Sweet potato would be a great substitute for the carrot!
Peter says
3/4 Cups of lentils, or 3/4 of a Cup?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
3/4 of a cup
Vikki says
I am new to this lifestyle (3months) I think this recipe is awesome, and will get the ingredients next week and give it try. It is hard to find meals besides salads. So thanks!!!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hope you enjoy it Vikki! I am just a message away if you ever need more recipe suggestions or advice!
Grace says
This soup was delicious, my whole family loved it! Thank you!
Jenny says
This looks so good but I am allergic to tomatoes. Do you think it would be ok to make and just leave that part out?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I think this would still be pretty good without, but if you can I’d recommend adding something else – the tomato paste is there for umami flavor. Miso paste or almond butter might be good options.
Anna says
This recipe is wonderful! We loved it. Flavor profile is perfect, and it’s healthy and filling. The barley adds a nice chewy bite. I made it in the Instant Pot, using the sauté function through Step 3, and then cooking it at high pressure for 22 minutes (w/ quick release after a few minutes). Used the full 4.5 cups of water as listed in the stovetop instructions and it was not too watery at all. I used Swiss chard and kale instead of spinach (stirring it in with the tomato paste when the timer was up), because that’s what we had in the garden. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for the recipe
Daisy says
Awesome instant pot instructions! Exactly what I read the comments for.
Thank you
I will be making this tonight with Kale I already have. It’s too hot to heat up the kitchen, but we love some soup and this one seems like it will be a good summertime soup
Marta says
Yay for the instant pot instructions! I have a good bunch of greens (escarole, chard, broccoli) in the garden I’ll be using too.
Cindy says
I just made this soup and it’s absolutely amazing! It really hit the spot. I used more spinach than the recipe called for but that was the only change I made. Since I am a hot pepper fanatic I think next time I will try adding a bit of green hot chili or a tiny bit of scorpion pepper. It is fabulous just as is though.
Tiffany says
Hi Shannon!
I just made this soup tonight & all I can say is WOW! It is one of the best soups I’ve ever had. The flavors were spot-on.
I used all organic ingredients & instead of the spinach I used a blend of “power greens” – kale, swiss chard, & spinach (I used the full 5 oz.that the greens came in). Amazing! I was out of fresh garlic so I used about 1/4 tsp. of granulated garlic. Next time I will use fresh!
I have been vegan for about 7 years & wonder why everyone isn’t vegan! The recipes are awesome & you do so much good for your health, animals, & the environment. Love, love, love this recipe! 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Tiffany, sorry I didn’t catch this comment before but I’m so delighted hear how much you like this soup! It’s one of my favorites, so comforting & just hits the spot :). It’s always rad to hear from other happy and well adjusted vegans. Thanks for your comment!
James says
I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve used your recipe (given full credit to you and a link to your site!) on our slimming blog – fair warning the language is a bit blue (not a typical food blog!) but I really enjoyed the soup! Ours looks bloody awful. Can’t win them all! http://twochubbycubs.com/2017/01/04/golden-lentil-and-barley-soup/
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Aw thanks for your comment, this made my day! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and recommend it to others. I actually have a terrible potty mouth so am not in the least offended by anything there, I censor myself heavily for this blog lol.