Lemony Pearl Barley Soup Recipe (2024)

This was yummy! Added 2 carrots simply because I had them. Think it would be really good with orzo in place of the barley, too…

“Barley” Any Work… feels like such a missed pun opportunity!!This was delicious! Will make again… we added a pinch of cayenne (or try some chili flakes) for a little kick, and finished with chopped charred shrimp. Next time we will add some small diced Yukon Gold potatoes to thicken (or blend into the stock ahead of time to make it a bit heartier).

Made this tonight exactly as written and it was quite good and relatively quick to make as soups go.

This soup is perfect for late winter into spring. The barley is a substantial winter soup base, but the fresh spinach and lemon juice add brightness. I stirred a drizzle of olive oil into the pot before serving -- it always seems to bring flavors together in a vegetable soup or stew. Then served with crusty bread. Delicious.

I’ve always loved this soup but I make it somewhat differently. I make it with lamb broth from neck bones and add lots of carrots as well. Dill and parsley are both good together in this soup. I usually add nearly an entire bunch of parsley as well as the dill called for. Served with a hunk of sour dough bread, it makes a wonderful dinner all fall and winter.

Am I crazy to think a soft poached egg would be good in this? Maybe, but I’ve done crazier things.

Not a dill fan myself. I noted in the headnotes that McKinnon suggests parsley, cilantro, or chives if you don’t go for the dill.

I used quick cooking farro because that is what I had on hand. Also used garbanzo beans and some leftover dutch yellow baby potatoes to give this some heft. I think the dill adds something special and I would aim for more lemon!

I am in the same boat. I'm going to keep the veg separate until the last 1/2 hour of boiling in broth. I'm going to double the time. So 30 mins w/ broth and barley, no veg, then toss the veg in for the last 30. Good luck to us both!

I think I will try this with an addition of some sorrel from the garden added at the end with the spinach.

This is a perfect soup when you are hoping for spring but it’s still winter. Approx 1 cup of sliced mushrooms added to the broth is a great addition. I’ve made it with both dried and fresh dill and preferred the dried. Also needed to add more broth.

I love this soup!!! I add carrots, mushrooms, and boneless chicken breasts which I take out and shred and return to the soup. I use fresh parsley instead of dill and add some dried dill along with salt and pepper towards the end. It’s a complete and delicious meal, especially with the chicken, which my daughter suggested after she added it to her soup when she made it too!

Delicious. I added....wait for it....a spoonful of Marmite..... while cooking!

Added extra chicken brothSubstituted Kale for spinach; note Kale takes longer to wilt than spinachDollop of yogurt a must!

Too much lemon...and I love lemon flavor. I'd cut it a bit next time. Also the Barley too WAY longer to cook.

Very tasty, but needs a little more substance… I made as directed and the flavors are really wonderful but I think next time I’ll add some beans and kale to make it a fuller meal.

This was terrific. I made a few changes. I simmered 4 chicken thighs in chicken stock and used the resulting broth and chicken to add depth of flavor and give it a more stew like consistency. I also added carrots and omitted the dill because I don’t love it and didn’t have any. The leftovers froze incredibly well! A perfect transitional dish from winter to spring.

Add potatoes, carrot, sumac

My only modifications were to increase the proportions slightly so as to use up all the pearled barley that had been sitting there for 3 years.... and I used some chicken stock, which was on hand and needed to be used.Also, I used the juice of an entire lemon. Not even sure what it called for, but I did what know that I like.I brought it to a potluck fully expecting to bring half home. Nope. There was exactly one bowl left, which is my lunch today.I'll definitely be buying more barley...

A bit blah, so I added some homemade fermented salsa and a dollop of toum (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021075-toum-garlic-whip ). Did the trick—

I followed the recipe as is. Very good! Some small cubed potatoes would be a nice addition next time.

I made this for dinner tonight, using chicken broth. When I tasted it along the way it seemed dull, then I added the lemon juice. It really brightened it up. It’s delicious. Next time I might add a little cayenne to give it some pop.

I'm confused by the barley amount. It says 1cup/6 ounces pearl barley. One cup is 8 ounces. Is it 1 cup plus 6 ounces?

Hmmm, could pearled farrow work? Thanks.

Milquetoast flavor....more like oatmeal for dinner. Needed some sparking up. I used a spot of cayenne powder, crushed celery seeds and extra spinach. I also wished I had a higher quality veg bouillon on hand--that might have made a flavorful difference, too.