Hearty Red Lentil, Barley & Vegetable Soup

Hearty Red Lentil, Barley & Vegetable Soup builds its base by sautéing onion, garlic, ginger, celery, and dry spices before the water goes in.

Barley needs a longer cooking time than red lentils, so it is added first with the herbs and whole spices. The lentils go in later and cook until soft.

The result is a substantial one-pot meal with both grain and legumes. Bay leaves and peppercorns are removed before serving so the broth keeps their flavor without leaving whole spices in the bowl.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 3/4 cup tomatoes with liquid, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 4 whole peppercorns
• 3 cloves
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup barley
• 1/2 cup red lentils

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and celery and sauté for 1 minute. Add coriander, cumin, cayenne, and turmeric and cook 2 minutes, then add the carrots and cook 2–3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and juice and cook a few minutes more. Add parsley, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, cloves, water, and barley and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Stir in the red lentils, reduce to a simmer, and cook about 25 minutes until soft. Remove the bay leaves and peppercorns before serving. Makes 4–6 servings.