Barley and Lentil Soup

151 Reviews
98% would make this recipe again

A very good soup which combines some lesser known ingredients: barley, lentils, and Swiss chard, which are tasty, rich in nutrients, and rather inexpensive.

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Preparation : 15 min Cooking : 1 h
130 calories/serving

Ingredients

1/2 cup green or brown lentils (dried) 90 g
1 onions, finely chopped 200 g
2 carrots, finely chopped 200 g
3 cups Swiss chard, or spinach, coarsely chopped and packed 280 g
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil 23 mL
1 tsp ground cumin 2 g
3 cups chicken broth 750 mL
3 cups water 750 mL
1/2 cup pearl barley 90 g
1 1/4 cup canned tomatoes (diced) 320 g
1 pinch salt [optional] 0.2 g
ground pepper to taste [optional]

Before you start

It is not necessary to soak the lentils in advance.

Method

  1. Rinse and drain the lentils, then set aside.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: Finely chop the onion and carrots; coarsely chop the Swiss chard (green and white parts); and mince or press the garlic. Set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion then sauté 3-4 min until soft. Add the carrots, then sauté 5 min with occasional stirring, until they are golden-coloured. Add the garlic and stir 1 min, then add the cumin and stir 1 min. Pour in the broth, water and barley. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer 25 min.
  4. Stir in the tomatoes and lentils. Continue to simmer, covered, until the lentils and barley are tender, 25-30 min.
  5. Add the chard to the soup, cover and simmer until the chard is tender, about 5 min. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Thin the soup with more broth or water, if desired. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Observations

The soup keeps up to 7 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Nutrition Facts Table

per 1 serving (230 g)

Amount

% Daily Value

Calories

130

Fat

2 g

4 %

Saturated 0.3 g
+ Trans 0 g

2 %

Cholesterol

0 mg

Sodium

390 mg

16 %

Carbohydrate

23 g

8 %

Fibre

4 g

14 %

Sugars

3 g

Net Carbs

19 g

Protein

5 g

Vitamin A

86 %

Vitamin C

30 %

Calcium

5 %

Iron

19 %
More info

DIABETES Exchange

1 serving of this recipe is equivalent to :
Food Group Exchanges
Starches 1
Vegetables 1
Meat and Alternatives ½
Fats ½
More info
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Reviews

151 Reviews (139 with rating only) 98% would make this recipe again
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My Notes

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  • I replaced oregano by rosemary and it turned out great
  • use my large pan with the copper bottom
  • leave under the grill 3 minutes instead of 1 to get a golden crust

This recipe is in the following categories

Beans/Legumes | Vegetables | Soups | High Iron

Top Reviews

View All Reviews
january 26, 2009 | I would make this recipe again

We liked the texture of this soup, nice and creamy. But next time I would add more spices as it was a little bland.

Useful 9
Anonyme
october 20, 2021 | I would make this recipe again

awesome soup! even my picky 4 year old likes this one! i've made twice and have discovered adding either a dollop of sour cream, or a spoonful of parmesan, makes it even better.

Useful 2
february 27, 2009 | I would make this recipe again

This was excellent, flavourful and hearty.

Useful 2

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