Hearty Autumn Vegetable and Barley Soup

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-13 · Updated 2026-06-13

A comforting soup filled with tender barley and a medley of roasted autumn vegetables simmered in savory broth. This soup recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 70 minutes, pairs pearl barley, carrots, parsnip for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• 2 medium, diced into 1/2-inch pieces carrots
• 1 medium, diced into 1/2-inch pieces parsnip
• 1 cup, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces butternut squash
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 2, diced celery stalks
• 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper

The stock pot we’d simmer this in → Best Stock Pots for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss 2 diced carrots, 1 diced parsnip, and 1 cup cubed butternut squash with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes until tender and caramelized.
2. Step 2: While vegetables roast, heat a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and 2 diced celery stalks, cooking for 5 minutes until softened. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 3/4 cup pearl barley, 6 cups vegetable broth, 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and 3/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. Step 4: Add the roasted vegetables to the pot and continue simmering for an additional 10 minutes until barley is tender and soup is thickened. Remove bay leaf before serving.