Spring Barley Soup

Name: Spring Barley Soup
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, coconut oil or olive oil; 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 3/4 cup pearled barley; 1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to taste; 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), tough ends trimmed, stalks thinly sliced 1/4-inch thick, tips left whole; 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas, edamame or fava beans; 3 tablespoons yellow or white miso; 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)

By Ali Slagle

Updated March 31, 2022

Spring Barley Soup — Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(852)
Comments: Read comments

This soup is as cozy as mushroom-barley soup and as vibrant as spring. Chewy barley, crisp asparagus and peas lay in a broth bolstered by umami-rich soy sauce and miso. Hits of fresh ginger and vinegar enliven the mix. Feel free to swap in other vegetables that catch your eye: Add leeks and hearty greens with the barley, and quicker-cooking vegetables like sliced turnips or snap peas with the asparagus. Thinly slicing the asparagus makes it easier to eat with a spoon, but cut them larger if you prefer it. For more protein, add cubed soft or firm tofu to bowls, or stir a beaten egg into the pot as you would for hot and sour soup.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1tablespoon toasted sesame oil, coconut oil or olive oil
6garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
¾cup pearled barley
1tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to taste
1bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), tough ends trimmed, stalks thinly sliced ¼-inch thick, tips left whole
1cup fresh or frozen shelled peas, edamame or fava beans
3tablespoons yellow or white miso
1tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the oil and garlic, and heat over medium. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and softened but not browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Add 6 cups of water, the barley and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until the barley is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 2
Add the asparagus and peas, and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
Step 3
In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, stir a spoonful of the soup into the miso until dissolved. Pour into the pot, along with the rice vinegar, ginger and remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce; stir to combine. Taste for salt level and adjust with more soy sauce. (Leftovers will keep for up to 2 days; rewarm over low heat, thin with water, and add vinegar and soy sauce to taste.)

Ratings

4 out of 5

852 user ratings

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Comments

Bill3 years ago

For those with high blood pressure, a warning. The soy and miso ingredients in this recipe add up to a small sodium bomb. It's also critical to use the called-for unseasoned rice vinegar, as the seasoned variety contains loads of sodium. While barley is known to offset some of the effects of salt on high blood pressure, consider using low sodium soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos to bring down the sodium levels - and your blood pressure.

Nancy Hamann3 years ago

This is a terrific soup! I missed the part where there are not any mushrooms in the soup, and had already bought some shiitakes (about 3/4 lb.), so I chopped them coarsely and gave them a quick saute in a tiny bit of olive oil, then added them with the asparagus and peas and edamame. Also used a veggie stock instead of water. I added chopped, cooked kale to my bowl, left the kale out of my husband's bowl (he's not a fan), so I also got my greens/calcium. This is definitely a keeper!

Florence3 years ago

I commend the chef for a soup recipe that doesn’t rely on store bought broth. Creative alternative

Karen2 months ago

It’s high spring here in Southern California so I wasn’t particularly in the mood for soup when my friend Lisa, who’d just returned from her father’s funeral in South Africa, requested it. But she needed comfort food and this recipe ticked the spring box, so Voila! I went overboard on the asparagus and peas, but we loved it - nearly cleared the pot out - and I’ll definitely be making it again. It’s a great light dinner option but would also be a delightful starter before a grilled steak. Bon appetite!

Matthew1 year ago

Sometimes the ingredients in a recipe come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts and sometimes a recipe just ends up tasting like all of the ingredients thrown together and they don't really do much to play off or enhance one another. This recipe is the latter. It's not awful but not very good either and even with a pretty easy process to make it, I still don't think it's worth it.

nina1 year ago

Not sure, but the recipe as written would make a good first course. I needed it to make a meal, so I added all the extras, greens, pre-sauteed mushrooms and tofu. topped with scallions. I also used 1 cube bullion in the broth. This way was delicious and filling.

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