Hearty Potato Barley Soup with Carrots and Celery

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter (optional, for richness)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary (crushed)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
• 1.5 lb potatoes (about 3 medium), diced
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup water (more as needed)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, for depth)
• 1.5–2 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1–2 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to finish

Do This

• 1. Warm oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat; sauté onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt for 8–10 minutes until softened.
• 2. Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
• 3. Add rinsed barley and toast 1–2 minutes; stir in tomato paste if using.
• 4. Pour in broth and water; bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
• 5. Add diced potatoes, salt, and pepper; simmer 20–25 minutes more, until potatoes and barley are tender.
• 6. Adjust thickness with extra hot water or broth if needed; remove bay leaf.
• 7. Stir in parsley and lemon juice or vinegar; taste and adjust seasoning, then serve hot.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It is deeply comforting and filling, with tender potatoes, chewy barley, and classic vegetable aromatics.
• Budget-friendly and made from simple pantry and grocery staples you may already have on hand.
• Easy to customize: keep it vegetarian, add meat, make it creamier, or boost the veggies.
• Perfect for make-ahead meals; the flavor improves as it rests and reheats beautifully.

Grocery List

• Produce: Yellow onion, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes (Yukon Gold or russet), fresh parsley, lemon (optional).
• Dairy: Butter (optional), heavy cream or half-and-half (optional garnish or variation).
• Pantry: Olive oil, pearl barley, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaf, fine sea salt, black pepper, apple cider vinegar (optional).

Full Ingredients

Main Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, but adds a cozy, old-fashioned richness)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1.5 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled between your fingers
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed under cold water and drained
• 1.5 lb potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into 0.5-inch cubes (about 3 medium Yukon Gold or russet potatoes)
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup water, plus more as needed to adjust thickness
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, for deeper color and flavor)
• 1.5–2 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
• 0.5–1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Finishing Touches

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish, if you like)
• 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, to brighten the flavors
• Optional for serving: a drizzle of cream or a small knob of butter in each bowl, crusty bread on the side

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep all your vegetables and rinse the barley

Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into small, even pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Peel the potatoes if you prefer them without skins, then cut them into roughly 0.5-inch cubes; keep them in a bowl of cold water if they will sit for more than a few minutes, to keep them from browning.
Mince the garlic.
Measure out the dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaf.
Place the pearl barley in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it under cold running water for 30–60 seconds, stirring with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear.
Drain well.
This removes excess starch and dust and helps the grains cook more evenly.

Step 2: Soften the onion, carrot, and celery

Set a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven (at least 5–6 quarts) over medium heat.
Add the olive oil and butter.
When the butter has melted and begins to foam, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery along with a pinch of salt.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and just starting to turn golden at the edges.
You are building flavor here, so do not rush this step; if they begin to brown too quickly, lower the heat slightly and continue to cook gently.

Step 3: Add the garlic and herbs

Stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and the bay leaf.
Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, just until the garlic is fragrant and the herbs smell toasty.
If you are using tomato paste, add it now and cook it with the aromatics for another 1–2 minutes, stirring, until it deepens in color slightly.
This quick toasting step wakes up the dried herbs and takes away any raw edge from the garlic and tomato paste.

Step 4: Toast the barley and add the liquids

Add the rinsed and drained pearl barley to the pot.
Stir well to coat the grains in the oil and aromatics.
Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, to lightly toast the barley; you should hear a soft crackling sound.
Pour in the 8 cups of broth and 1 cup of water, scraping along the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits.
Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture just up to a boil.
Once it reaches a boil, immediately reduce the heat to maintain a steady, gentle simmer.
Partially cover the pot with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
This gives the barley a head start before the potatoes go in.

Step 5: Add the potatoes and simmer until everything is tender

After the barley has simmered for 20 minutes, drain the potatoes if they have been in water and add them to the pot.
Season with 1.5 tsp of fine sea salt and 0.5 tsp of black pepper to start.
Return the soup to a gentle simmer.
Cook uncovered for another 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the barley is pleasantly chewy but cooked through.
If at any point the soup seems too thick or the barley is poking above the liquid, stir in an extra 0.5–1 cup of hot water or broth and continue simmering.
You are aiming for a hearty but still spoonable, brothy consistency.

Step 6: Taste, adjust, and finish with fresh herbs

Once the potatoes and barley are cooked, turn the heat to low.
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
Taste the broth carefully, then adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed.
Finally, stir in 1–2 tsp of fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, starting with 1 tsp, to brighten the flavor.
Add a little more if you like a slightly more lively finish, but it should not taste sour—just balanced and savory.
If you prefer a somewhat creamier soup without adding dairy, lightly mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot with the back of your spoon and stir them in to thicken the broth slightly.

Step 7: Serve warm and enjoy

Ladle the hot soup into warm bowls.
If you like, top each bowl with a small knob of butter or a drizzle of heavy cream for extra richness, plus a sprinkle of fresh parsley and cracked black pepper.
Serve with crusty bread, buttered toast, or a simple green salad for a complete meal.
The soup will continue to thicken as it stands, so if it gets too thick while serving, stir in a splash of hot water or broth to loosen it back to a cozy, spoonable consistency.
Enjoy your hearty, old-fashioned potato and barley soup while it is steaming and fragrant.

Pro Tips

• Use pearl barley. Pearl barley cooks more quickly and becomes pleasantly tender and creamy in soups. Hulled barley takes longer and will need an extended simmer and extra liquid.
• Control the thickness. Barley absorbs a lot of liquid. If your soup gets too thick at any point, simply stir in hot water or broth, a little at a time, until it reaches your preferred consistency.
• Do not rush the aromatics. Taking the full 8–10 minutes to soften the onion, carrots, and celery is what gives this simple soup a deep, old-fashioned flavor.
• Season in layers. Add some salt early, then adjust near the end. This helps the vegetables and broth taste well seasoned without becoming overly salty.
• Let it rest. If time allows, let the soup sit off the heat, covered, for 10–15 minutes before serving. The flavors meld and the texture becomes even cozier.

Variations

• Smoky bacon or ham version: Start the recipe by cooking 4–6 slices of chopped bacon or 1 cup of diced ham in the pot until lightly browned. Remove some of the rendered fat if there is a lot, then proceed with the vegetables, using the drippings for flavor. Add the cooked bacon or ham back in near the end.
• Creamier, chowder-style soup: After the potatoes are tender, stir in 0.5–1 cup of warm heavy cream or half-and-half. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes without boiling, and adjust seasoning. This gives a richer, more indulgent bowl.
• Extra-vegetable version: In the last 10 minutes of cooking, stir in 1–2 cups of additional vegetables such as chopped kale, spinach, frozen peas, or green beans. Simmer until tender for a more colorful, veggie-packed soup.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Let the soup cool to room temperature before storing.
Transfer it to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
The barley will continue to absorb liquid and the soup will thicken significantly as it chills; when reheating on the stovetop or in the microwave, add extra water or broth a little at a time, stirring, until it returns to a brothy, spoonable consistency.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled soup in freezer-safe containers, leaving a bit of room at the top for expansion, for up to 2–3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding extra liquid as needed and tasting to re-season with salt, pepper, and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 6 servings (made with vegetable broth, olive oil, and no added cream or bacon): about 260–290 calories; 8–10 g fat; 42–45 g carbohydrates; 7–9 g fiber; 7–9 g protein; 650–750 mg sodium.
Actual values will vary based on the exact ingredients, brands, and any optional additions you use.