Southeast Iowa-Style Hearty Vegetable and Barley Soup

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-24 · Updated 2026-07-24

A nourishing, slow-simmered soup featuring barley and a medley of fresh vegetables for a comforting meal. This American soup recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 65 minutes, pairs pearl barley, carrots, and celery stalks for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 180 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 "Build a week of meals around this recipe" 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 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced medium onion, 2 diced celery stalks, and 2 diced carrots; sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and fragrant.
2. Step 2: Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add 3/4 cup pearl barley, stirring to coat with the vegetables.
3. Step 3: Pour in 6 cups vegetable broth and 14 oz canned diced tomatoes with their juice. Add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
4. Step 4: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45-50 minutes until barley is tender and soup thickens.
5. Step 5: Remove bay leaf, stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, and serve warm.