Slow Cooker Barley and Bean Soup

Too cold to think about anything BUT a warming bowl of soup? Try my meatless yet oh-so hearty (and healthy) slow cooker Barley & Bean Soup.

It’s been a wild few days here in New England. With 20 inches of snow on the ground and more in the forecast, I’ve been cooking up some nutritious new soup recipes for my resident snow blowers, Tim (crazy dad removing snow from roof) and Simon (helpful teen making sure crazy dad doesn’t fall off ladder).

Just another day in the neighborhood …

Tim doesn’t eat meat, so this soup (like most of the soups I make) is vegetarian. For the recipe, I chopped up some mushrooms and onion and sautéed them first to bring out their flavors.

I added pearled barley to the brew, a whole grain high in fiber with a bit of a chewy texture. I love it!

And I also incorporated a few other simple, nutritious ingredients into the mix: carrots, chickpeas, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, and thyme.

Lunch is served. I topped our soup with grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh parsley. I could eat this every day!

[Tweet “Warm up with this nutritious vegetarian Barley and Bean Soup – made in the slow cooker”]

4.0 from 2 reviews

Slow Cooker Barley and Bean Soup

 

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 6

• Serving size: 1 generous cup
• Calories: 220

• Fat: 5g
• Saturated fat: 0.5g
• Carbohydrates: 37g
• Sodium: 630mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 9g

Recipe type: Soup

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Sometimes I think everything cooked in the slow cooker turns out tasting like, well, it came out of the slow cooker. This recipe really blew me away with its lovely flavor, meaty texture (thanks to the barley and chickpeas), and I-need-to-slurp-this-soup NOW aroma!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• One 10-ounce package sliced mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cups all-natural vegetable broth
• One 14.5-ounce can petite diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 carrots, peeled, sliced lengthwise, and cut into ¼-inch-thick half moons (about 1-1/2 cups)
• ⅓ cup pearled barley
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
• Fresh parsley leaves, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Place the cooked mushroom mixture, broth, tomatoes, chickpeas, carrots, barley, and thyme in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker and mix until combined.
3. Cover and cook on low until the carrots are tender, about 7 hours.
4. Remove the thyme stems, serve in individual bowls, and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley as desired.

Notes

Each bowlful has over a day's worth of immune-boosting vitamin A. Thank you carrots!

3.5.3226

What are your go-to soups in winter? I’m always looking for new ideas.

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