A warm and comforting vegetable barley soup that can be cooked in a pressure cooker, instant pot or stove top. Made with simple, everyday ingredients and ready in less than an hour whichever method you choose. The best vegetable barley soup recipe you'll try.
Looking for a healthy vegetable soup that is both delicious and filling? Try this Vegetable Barley Soup!
This soup is perfect for weeknight dinners during winter and is easily made in either the pressure cooker / instant pot or stovetop in under an hour.
Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top and a slice or two of crusty bread for dipping. Perfection!
Make up a batch at the start of the week and use it as an easy work lunch or a quick dinner. Or portion out and freeze it for those times you are in a pinch.
WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE...
- Can be made in pressure cooker or stovetop
- Quick and easy
- Hearty and healthy soup
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Here's what you'll need to make this Vegetable Barley soup at home...
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrot
- Celery
- Pearl Barley - OR you could use farro if you'd prefer.
- Green Beans - Either fresh or frozen.
- Diced Tomatoes
- Cannellini Beans - Or you could use chickpeas or red kidney beans if you'd prefer. I use canned beans but if you'd prefer to use dry - go for it.
- Chicken Stock - OR you could use vegetable stock if you'd prefer.
- Cayenne Pepper, Basil, Oregano, Salt & Pepper - I like how the cayenne pepper gives it a little kick.
- Corn Kernels - Either fresh or frozen.
HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP - STEP BY STEP
Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Instructions:
First, select sauté mode on Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Heat the oil, then add onion, carrot, celery and minced garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for 3-5 minutes (photo 1).
Next, add everything else except for the corn kernels in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Set to high pressure for 20 minutes. Release the steam (photo 2).
Stir in the corn kernels. Set to high pressure for another 5 minutes. Release the steam (photo 3).
Let the soup rest for a few minutes to allow it to thicken slightly. Serve with your favourite toppings (parmesan, crusty bread etc.) and enjoy (photo 4).
Stovetop Instructions:
Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat, then add onion, carrot, celery and minced garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for 3-5 minutes.
Add everything else except for the corn kernels to the pot and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 20-30 minutes until the barley is cooked.
Add corn kernels to the pot and simmer until cooked, around 5 minutes. Serve with your favourite toppings (parmesan, crusty bread etc) and enjoy.
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Feel free to use what vegetables you have on hand. You could also try farro in place of barley.
- Use vegetable stock to make it vegan.
- STORING - Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.
MORE SCRUMPTIOUS SOUP RECIPES:
- Cannellini Bean Soup
- Cauliflower and Bacon Soup
- Split Pea Soup with Ham Bone
- Pumpkin and Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
- OR see all Soup Recipes
If you’ve tried this Vegetable Barley Soup I’d love to hear how you enjoyed it! Pop a comment and a star rating below!
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📋 RECIPE
Vegetable Barley Soup
A warm and comforting vegetable barley soup that can be cooked in a pressure cooker, instant pot or stove top. Made with simple, everyday ingredients and ready in less than an hour whichever method you choose.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, diced
- 3 Carrot, peeled and chopped
- 3 Celery Sticks, chopped
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- ½ cup Green Beans, trimmed and chopped (Use fresh or frozen)
- ½ cup Corn Kernels, fresh or frozen
- 400g / 14.5 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes
- 400g / 15 oz Canned Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup Pearl Barley, rinsed
- 1L / 4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Basil
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- Salt + Pepper, to taste
Optional
- Parmesan Cheese, to serve
- Crusty Bread, to serve
Instructions
For the Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Version:
- Select saute mode on Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Heat the oil, then add onion, carrot, celery and minced garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for 3-5 minutes.
- Add everything else except for the corn kernels in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Set to high pressure for 20 minutes. Release the steam.
- Stir in the corn kernels. Set to high pressure for another 5 minutes. Release the steam.
- Let the soup rest for a few minutes to allow it to thicken slightly. Serve with your favourite toppings (parmesan, crusty bread etc) and enjoy.
For the Stovetop Version:
- Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat, then add onion, carrot, celery and minced garlic and cook, stirring regularly, for 3-5 minutes.
- Add everything else except for the corn kernels to the pot and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 20-30 minutes until the barley is cooked.
- Add corn kernels to the pot and simmer until cooked, around 5 minutes. Serve with your favourite toppings (parmesan, crusty bread etc) and enjoy.
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Beans - I've made this with both chickpeas and cannellini beans and loved both. Feel free to add what you have on hand. I use tinned beans but if you'd prefer to use dry - go for it.
- Corn - I generally cut kernels off an uncooked cob to pop into this soup but you could easily sub for ½ a cup of frozen corn kernels.
- Grains - This soup lends itself well to substitutions, so feel free to try it with your favourite grain. I think farro would be wonderful.
- Vegetables - I almost always have green beans in the fridge so they were any easy choice to include in this soup. Feel free to experiment with whatever you have on hand - zucchini, frozen peas etc.
Storage - Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition - Nutrition information is from a nutrition calculator and is based around one serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Sodium: 94mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 10gSugar: 8gProtein: 10g
Renee says
It. Was. Wonderful, I. Will make. It again
Cassie says
One of my favourites! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Amanda says
Do you drain the tomatoes?
Cassie says
Hi Amanda, no - pop the whole can of diced tomatoes including the juices in 🙂
Amanda says
If I wanted to prepare this in a slow cooker, how long would I cook it?
Cassie says
Hey Amanda, unfortunately I haven't tried this one in the slow cooker before so I can't say for sure. But if I was to experiment I'd stick with the standard 4hrs on high, 8 hrs on low & not add the corn in until the last 30 mins. Let me know if you do try it in the slow cooker & how it goes!
Julie says
I bookmarked this soup awhile back and found it again yesterday when I was meal planning for the week. Decided to give it a go in the pressure cooker and it was delicious. I followed the recipe as is and even sprinkled some parmesan on top as you recommend. My whole family polished their bowls off & my carnivore hubby even wanted seconds. We'll be making this again
Cassie says
I'm SO happy to hear that Julie! I absolutely adore this soup.
Karly says
Looks delicious! Great recipe.
Cassie says
Thanks Karly 🙂