Warm Winter-to-Spring Vegetable (Print)

Hearty blend of seasonal vegetables and pearl barley simmered to tender perfection.

# Ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
03 - 2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
04 - 1 small rutabaga, peeled and diced
05 - 1 cup green cabbage, shredded
06 - 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Grains

09 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Liquids

10 - 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Herbs & Seasonings

12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add leek, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the pearl barley, then pour in the vegetable broth. Add bay leaf, thyme, and marjoram. Bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley and root vegetables are tender.
05 - Add cabbage and spinach. Simmer uncovered for another 5-7 minutes, until greens are wilted but still vibrant.
06 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been simmering something all afternoon, but it comes together in just over an hour.
  • The barley adds a quiet creaminess without any cream, making every spoonful feel deeply satisfying.
  • This is the kind of soup that gets better as it sits, so it's perfect for meal prep without any fuss.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the barley, it'll release too much starch and turn your soup cloudy and gluey instead of clear and clean.
  • The spinach and cabbage should go in at the very end, not before, or they'll disintegrate into invisible bits instead of staying present in the bowl.
03 -
  • Don't rush the initial sauté of the root vegetables, those five to seven minutes of patient cooking are when they develop their sweetness and set the soup's whole character.
  • If your barley is cooking faster than your root vegetables, you can cook the barley separately in some broth first, then add it all together, so the timing works out perfectly.
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