If you’re in search of a hearty and cozy meal, look no farther than these barley soup recipes.
19 Comforting Barley Soup Recipes
Updated on Jun. 21, 2024
1/19
Southwest Barley & Lentil Soup
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
12 servings (4-1/2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
My family makes lentil soup every new year for good luck. My mom has been making it since I was little. Over time, we've tweaked it so that all our family and friends love it. —Kristen Heigl, Staten Island, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 366 calories, 11g fat (3g saturated fat), 22mg cholesterol, 904mg sodium, 48g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 17g fiber), 21g protein.
2/19
Cabbage Barley Soup
Total Time
6 hours 30 min
Servings
8 servings (3 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
My neighbor had an abundance of cabbage, so a group of us had a contest to see who could come up with the best cabbage dish. My vegetarian soup was the clear winner. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 197 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 678mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 9g fiber), 11g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 1 lean meat.
3/19
Butternut Squash and Barley Soup
Total Time
5 hours 35 min
Servings
12 servings (3 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
I love to use my garden produce in this veggie-packed soup. Serve it with bread or oatmeal dinner rolls and you have a delicious, healthy dinner. —Julie Sloan, Osceola, Indiana
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 120 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 12mg cholesterol, 493mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 6g fiber), 7g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch.
4/19
Deb’s Mushroom & Barley Soup
Total Time
6 hours 25 min
Servings
10 servings (3-1/2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
Nothing is more comforting than coming home to this rich soup! I prepare the ingredients the night before and start the slow cooker on my way out the door in the morning. —Debra Kamerman, New York, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/3 cups: 180 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 49mg cholesterol, 967mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 5g fiber), 15g protein.
5/19
Chicken Barley Soup
Total Time
1 hour 35 min
Servings
5 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
No question—this is my favorite barley soup! It's so filling that I serve it as a hearty main dish, and I have given the recipe to many of our friends and relatives. It simply tastes too good to keep to yourself! —Diana Costello, Marion, Kansas
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 259 calories, 5g fat (0 saturated fat), 89mg cholesterol, 127mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 31g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable.
6/19
Spiced-Up Healthy Soup
Total Time
55 min
Servings
14 servings (3-1/2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
“This has been a hit with family and friends. It’s spicy, low-fat and filled with good-for-you ingredients.” Diane Tayman — Dixon, Illinois
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 156 calories, 3g fat (0 saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 601mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 7g fiber), 11g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.
7/19
Turkey and Vegetable Barley Soup
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings (2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
Using ingredients on hand, I stirred up this turkey and veggie-packed soup. If you have them, corn, beans and celery are great here, too. —Lisa Wiger, St. Michael, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/3 cups: 208 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 662mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 6g fiber), 21g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.
8/19
Beef Barley Soup
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
9 servings (2-1/4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
This hearty beef barley soup is a favorite menu item in our house throughout the year. Everyone savors the flavor. —Elizabeth Kendall, Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 133 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 28mg cholesterol, 859mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 14g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.
9/19
Mushroom Onion Barley Soup
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
7 servings (1-3/4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
After tinkering with three different recipes, I came up with this warming rich, dark brown broth with hearty mushrooms, barley and onions. It’s a beefy tasting soup for my meat loving husband, completely vegan for me and healthy for both of us. It can simmer all day in a crock pot or be served up right after preparation.
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 101 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 746mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 3g fiber), 6g protein.
10/19
Contest-Winning Hearty Hamburger Soup
Total Time
45 min
Servings
8 servings (2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
At family get-togethers, our children always request this spirit-warming ground beef soup along with a fresh loaf of homemade bread and tall glasses of milk. This hamburger soup has robust flavor, plenty of fresh-tasting vegetables and is easy to make. —Barbara Brown, Janesville, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 167 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 972mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 12g protein.
11/19
Chicken Vegetable Soup
Total Time
2 hours 35 min
Servings
16 servings (about 4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
I experimented with different variations, and this is the best chicken vegetable soup recipe I came up with. It's especially good to take to potlucks or share with friends. I often take a bowl to work to heat up for a fast lunch. —Bertha Vogt, Tribune, Kansas
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 195 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 55mg cholesterol, 537mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 19g protein.
12/19
Southwest Chicken Barley Chowder
Total Time
30 min
Servings
8 servings (2-1/2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
Mashed squash helps make this chowder creamy but not heavy, and it's a favorite way to get barley on the table. My kids even ask for leftovers for lunch. —Pamela Cleghorn, Campbellsburg, Indiana
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/4 cups: 298 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 46mg cholesterol, 681mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 7g fiber), 20g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 lean meat, 1 fat.
13/19
Potato-Beef Barley Soup
Total Time
40 min
Servings
12 servings (4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
Hash browns add an unexpected twist in this vegetable barley soup. I sometimes throw in some chopped fresh red and yellow peppers for color. —Kendra McKenzie, Fredericktown, Ohio
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/3 cups: 217 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 568mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 5g fiber), 16g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable.
14/19
Ground Beef and Barley Soup
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
12 servings (3 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
I came across this recipe years ago at a recipe exchange through a church group. The contributor didn't sign her name, so I don't know who to thank. But my husband and son thank me for preparing it by helping themselves to seconds and thirds! - Ellen McCleary, Scotland, Ontario
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 168 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 29mg cholesterol, 452mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 4g fiber), 13g protein.
15/19
Quick Mushroom Barley Soup
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I surprised my mother with a visit some years ago, and she was preparing this soup when I walked in. It was so wonderful that I asked for the recipe, and I’ve been fixing it ever since. —Edie Irwin, Cornwall, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 196 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 12mg cholesterol, 654mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 5g fiber), 8g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1/2 whole milk, 1/2 fat.
16/19
Slow & Easy Minestrone
Total Time
7 hours 25 min
Servings
6 servings (2-1/4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
Hot soup on a cold day is something I just can't get enough of. It's a snap to put together, and I don't have to wash pots and pans after a relaxing meal. —Sally Goeb, New Egypt, New Jersey
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 154 calories, 1g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 1002mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 9g fiber), 7g protein.
17/19
Split Pea Soup Mix
Total Time
1 hour 25 min
Servings
4 servings (1 quart soup) per batch
From the Recipe Creator:
My mother sent me some of this pretty dry blend along with the recipe. The hearty soup is thick with lentils, barley and peas, and chicken is a nice change from the usual ham. —Susan Ruckert, Tangent, Oregon
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 158 calories, 3g fat (0 saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 117mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 11g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 lean meat.
18/19
Beef Barley Lentil Soup
Total Time
8 hours 20 min
Servings
10 servings (about 3-3/4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
I serve this soup often to family and friends on cold nights, along with homemade rolls and a green salad. For variety, you can substitute jicama for the potatoes. —Judy Metzentine, The Dalles, Oregon
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 232 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 28mg cholesterol, 603mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 6g fiber), 16g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable.
19/19
White Bean and Sausage Soup
Total Time
1 hour 50 min
Servings
8 servings (3 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
In the cold months, I like to put on a big pot of this comforting soup. It cooks away while I do other things, such as baking bread, crafting or even cleaning the house. —Glenna Reimer, Gig Harbor, Washington
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 339 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 23mg cholesterol, 1100mg sodium, 48g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 11g fiber), 19g protein.
