{"id":3148,"date":"2025-05-09T13:54:15","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T20:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/09\/root-vegetable-barley-soup-the-full-helping\/"},"modified":"2025-05-09T13:54:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T20:54:29","slug":"root-vegetable-barley-soup-the-full-helping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/09\/root-vegetable-barley-soup-the-full-helping\/","title":{"rendered":"Root Vegetable Barley Soup | The Full Helping"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you\u2019re looking for a nourishing, hearty soup to keep you warm through the colder months, then this root vegetable barley soup has you covered. It\u2019s made with carrots, parsnips, and celery root, all of which are simmered in a savory, tomato-based broth. Barley adds a nice texture, as well as fiber, magnesium, and iron, to the wholesome mix.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s a good chance that, at some point in time, you\u2019ve had a bowl of mushroom barley soup. If you have, then you know that barley\u2019s plump, chewy texture is so pleasant in a warm and brothy bowl.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve got a different version of barley soup to share with you today. It\u2019s a little more unusual, but no less delicious, than the version made with mushrooms.<\/p>\n

Root vegetable barley soup is the epitome of all things grounding and fortifying for winter and fall.<\/p>\n

In theory, the combination of nutty barley and root vegetables might be almost too earthy. Yet a bright, tomato-based broth, which has just the right amount of acidity, keeps this soup lively and lifted. <\/p>\n

I first made the soup as part of a \u201ccook the pantry\u201d effort<\/a>. I was (and still am) trying to make my way through more than a pound of barley. <\/p>\n

The soup is more than a convenient recipe for using up leftover barley, though. It\u2019s really tasty and special, and I know that it\u2019ll be a favorite this season and in seasons to come.<\/p>\n

The many benefits of barley<\/h2>\n

I have to admit that I don\u2019t cook with barley often enough, hence the surplus that I just mentioned having at home. <\/p>\n

But I should. Each time I put cooked barley into a salad<\/a> or make a quick and easy barley \u201crisotto,\u201d<\/a> I\u2019m reminded of how much I love its round grains, with their springy texture.<\/p>\n

In addition to being tasty and versatile, barley is also nutrient-dense. Like most whole grains, it\u2019s rich in fiber. And the fiber in barley happens to be soluble fiber<\/a>, which is typically regulating and therapeutic for those with IBS or sensitive digestive systems. <\/p>\n

Barley, like many whole forms of wheat, also has a decent amount of protein<\/a>: about five or six grams per cooked cup.<\/p>\n

Barley is an excellent source of magnesium, an electrolyte that plays numerous important roles in health and well-being. Magnesium aids in maintaining hydration status and bone health, and it\u2019s also important for the nervous system. <\/p>\n

Finally, barley is a good plant-based source of iron. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve written about this mineral<\/a> in the past; it\u2019s especially important for vegans and vegetarians to pay attention to their iron intake, as red meat is one of the most concentrated food sources.<\/p>\n

Beans, lentils, and dark leafy greens are really good sources of plant-based iron. Consuming iron-rich foods with Vitamin C can be helpful with iron status, too. <\/p>\n

A number of whole grains also provide iron, and barley is one of them. A cup of cooked barley contains over 10% of the recommended daily allowance of iron for an adult female. <\/p>\n

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Pearl vs hulled barley<\/h2>\n

Most barley is sold in one of two forms: pearl or hulled.<\/p>\n

In the case of hulled barley, only the outer husk has been removed from the original grain. In order to make pearl barley, both the husk and the bran of the grain are removed. <\/p>\n

As a result, pearl barley cooks more quickly\u2014in about twenty-five minutes, rather than forty-five\u2014and I think it has a more pleasant texture than hulled. <\/p>\n

Theoretically, the downside of choosing pearl barley is that it has a little less fiber, and possibly less micronutrient content, than hulled. This is because the bran of the grain is inherently nutritious. <\/p>\n

In practice, the difference between these two forms of the grain isn\u2019t all that significant. <\/p>\n

In fact, depending on which brand you buy, pearl and hulled barley varieties might have equal amounts of fiber. Even if there\u2019s a small difference, barley in all of its forms is still a relatively high-fiber food. <\/p>\n

As a registered dietitian<\/a>, I feel strongly about keeping the big picture in mind. I know that fifteen minutes of extra cooking time can be meaningful to a busy or tired home cook. Choose the variety of grain that\u2019s best for you!<\/p>\n

Is barley gluten-free?<\/h2>\n

No, barley is a gluten-containing grain. <\/p>\n

If you need to modify the soup to suit a gluten-free or wheat-free diet, then I recommend substituting the barley with short grain brown rice and simmering it for at least forty minutes. <\/p>\n

What are root vegetables, exactly?<\/h2>\n

This may seem like a ridiculous question for a cookbook author<\/a> to ask. <\/p>\n

But a few years ago, I incorrectly titled what I now know to be an \u201cautumn vegetable bake<\/a>\u201d as a \u201croot vegetable bake,\u201d which forced me to brush up on the topic.<\/p>\n

Here are some popular root vegetables:<\/p>\n