Vegetable Bean Barley Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Put 6 cups water, the beans, barley, garlic, carrots, celery, onions, bay leaf, 11/2 tablespoons salt, herb blend, some pepper and porcini mushrooms (if using) in a slow cooker. Squeeze the tomatoes through your hands over the pot to break them down, and add with their juices. Cover and cook on high until the beans are quite tender and the soup is thick, about 8 hours.
• Add the spinach and cheese, and stir until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and drizzle each serving with vinegar and olive oil.

Steps:

• Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add enough water to cover beans by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. , In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender, 3-5 minutes. Stir in broth, water, beans, carrots, red peppers, celery, barley, 1/4 cup parsley, bay leaves, salt, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Add tomatoes; heat through. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parsley.

Steps:

• Add the barley to a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, and then simmer for 45 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Rinse the grains under cold running water, drain well and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the zucchinis, potatoes, garlic and chard and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more until the greens have wilted.
• Pour in the stock and water and bring everything to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add in the Cannellini beans and simmer for another 20 minutes. Return the barley, green beans and peas, and simmer for a final 5 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper, and grate the Parmesan over the dish before serving.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion, fennel and garlic, and cook until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10-12 mins.
• Mash half the chickpeas and add to the pan with the tomatoes, stock and barley. Top up with a can of water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 mins or until the barley is tender. Add another can of water if the liquid has significantly reduced.
• Add the remaining chickpeas and the butter beans to the soup. After a few mins, stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 min. Season and serve scattered with Parmesan.