Barley Vegetable Soup

Here’s a healthy, delicious and filling soup with lots of flavor. Its truly a keeper. Serve it with a loaf of crusty bread..Yum!

Barley Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients

1. Barley – 1/2 cup ( I used quick cooking 10 minute barley)

2. Olive oil – 1.5 tbsp

3. Onion – 1/2 cup, finely chopped

    Garlic – 2 cloves, minced

4. Carrot – 1/4 cup, heaped

    Celery, chopped – 1/4 cup, heaped

5. Tomato – 3, blanched (please refer step 1)

6. Tomato paste – 2 tsp (optional)

7. Vegetable stock/ water – Around 3 cups

8. Salt and pepper – To taste

9. Zucchini – 1 small, cubed

   Spinach – A handful, roughly chopped

10. Basil pesto, store-bought or homemade – 2 tsp or to taste (optional. If you don’t have basil pesto, add a pinch of Italian seasoning.)

11. Fresh lemon juice – 1 tsp (optional)

12. Parmesan cheese – 1 – 2 tbsp grated, to garnish (optional)

13. Fresh parsley – 2 tsp finely chopped, to garnish (optional)

Method

1. To blanch tomatoes – Put the tomatoes in boiling water. Boil for about 1 – 2 minutes or until their skin starts peeling off. Take them out and set aside for 2 minutes. Peel off their skin and remove the seeds and pulp. Chop the flesh and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a soup pot. Add finely chopped onion and garlic. Saute until onion turns transparent. Add carrot and celery. Saute for a minute. Add barley, blanched and chopped tomato pieces, tomato paste, vegetable stock or water, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 10 – 12 minutes until barley is done. Add zucchini and spinach. Cook for a minute. Add basil pesto and mix well. Serve hot. Sprinkle parmesan cheese, while serving (optional).