pulled into fall: barley, split pea & greens soup

barley, split pea & greens soup

Something about fall pulls me into soup. Home feels more homey with a stock pot of something nutritious and wholesome simmering on the stove – it’s the comfort factor and the ease in how a meal can come together. This past week was a busy one. When you run a business or two, a simple pot of soup available for a quick meal is a bit of a lifesaver. This soup is hearty and flavourful one despite its humble ingredients.

Earlier this week, I figured I’d make soup with some random greens from our CSA that I desperately needed to use up before the new share arrived. Carrots, onion, garlic, no problem. The cupboard revealed a bit of barley which would be perfect, but when I went looking for lentils or chickpeas, I was all out. A small jar of green split peas would have to do. Luckily, everything worked out deliciously – though if you don’t have split peas, please feel free to substitute in some french green lentils (du puy) or toss in a drained can of chickpeas when you add in the greens.

barley, split pea & greens soup

23 comments to “pulled into fall: barley, split pea & greens soup”

  1. 1
    NicoleD   October 3, 2011 at 11:05 am

    Oh, yes. Comfort in a bowl! It’s handy to have recipes like this to use up CSA odds and ends.

  2. 2
    karen   October 3, 2011 at 4:07 pm

    mmmmmmmmm i love barley in soups! this one looks so easy and tasty. thanks for the idea!

  3. 3
    Kalyn   October 3, 2011 at 5:07 pm

    Sounds delicious. Barley is such a great addition to soup.

  4. 4
    kickpleat   October 3, 2011 at 6:58 pm

    Thanks Nicole, it totally is made for fall comfort 🙂

    Karen, I love barley in soups too – the extra bulk is nice.

    Thanks Kalyn for stopping by, it’s a great little soup!

  5. 5
    Leah   October 3, 2011 at 9:01 pm

    Thanks for sharing. I’m going to try it out this week!

  6. 6
    Bijoux   October 3, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    Perfect timing. The weather here has turned cold and rainy lately. I have a bag of split peas in my cupboard and I’ve been wondering what to do with them. They have been there for a while so I imagine them to be somewhat stale. If they pass the sniff test and haven’t gone rancid, I’ll try to recreate a soup of sorts. I wouldn’t mind some sausage bits thrown in there for that smoky flavour that goes so well with split peas 🙂

  7. 7
    Joanne   October 4, 2011 at 3:23 am

    I think I’ve had a pot of soup in the fridge waiting to be eaten just about every week since the middle of September…it really is such a joy to come home to! I the use of grains and legumes in this…the simple but delicious things in life.

  8. 8
    kickpleat   October 4, 2011 at 11:32 am

    Thanks so much Leah, it’s perfect for the change in season!

    Bijoux, well, this sounds like the perfect meal for all that rainy cool weather. Boo! I think your split peas should be fine – they’ll just take longer to cook. Let me know how it turns out & yes, I think sausage would be wonderful here.

    Thanks Joanne, it sure is comforting to have something tasty & nutritious around the house.

  9. 9
    Rivki Locker   October 4, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    I love that concept – soup pulling you into fall. Beautiful words!
    I use split peas in soups all the time. I find that they thicken without overwhelming the flavor.

  10. 10
    Danabee   October 4, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    A winner! Added mushrooms since I cannot leave well enough alone. Oh – and a parmesan rind and some cabbage. My husband, the soup disdainer, declared it “frickin’ awesome”. High praise indeed. Thank you!

  11. 11
    kickpleat   October 5, 2011 at 10:29 am

    Rivki, so true about split peas! And thank you 🙂

    Danabee, so glad you enjoyed this soup – and added your own spin to it. Frickin’ Awesome!!

  12. 12
    Nettie Moore   October 6, 2011 at 4:56 pm

    I haven’t used barley in such a long time! How come? I don’t know- great memories of Grandma’s vegetable soup- she always used barley- I am doing it now!

  13. 13
    kickpleat   October 10, 2011 at 1:18 pm

    Nettie, barley is a good grain to reacquaint yourself with! Enjoy.

  14. 14
    Yolanda   October 11, 2011 at 9:12 pm

    I am on a diet to lower my cholesterol at the moment and this would be the absolutely perfect dish to do so! Warm, comforting and healthy – perfect for the cool weather we are heading into 🙂 Thanks!

  15. 15
    janis - pinecone camp   October 15, 2011 at 9:17 am

    Perfect – I love barley. Do you make your own stock? I haven’t tried that before, but it looks time consuming. No?

  16. 16
    kickpleat   October 15, 2011 at 11:24 am

    Thanks Yolanda, it’s lovely and healthy to boot!

    Janis, yes, I make my own stock. It’s not time consuming at all. I keep one bucket in the freezer where I put away all my clean veggie scraps (see the link in the recipe) and I always save my chicken/turkey bones for stock in the freezer too. It’s easy!

  17. 17
    sharon   October 17, 2011 at 2:50 pm

    I just made this.
    I had never used barley before. It is delicious, I think
    I will put a little shaving of Parmesan on the top.
    and then it will be in my lunch box this week

    thanks!

  18. 18
    kickpleat   October 17, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    Hooray, Sharon. I’m so glad you liked this and got to try barley out of the deal too.

  19. 19
    Lauren Chiarello   October 19, 2011 at 9:20 am

    Your twist on the traditional pea soup recipe is pure genius. Pea soup is a fall staple in my household, now I have a new idea thanks to your recipe. The idea of using greens and chic peas is a nice way to add more fiber and protein. Think I’ll give it a try on my family this weekend.

  20. 20
    Ashley   October 24, 2011 at 9:16 am

    What a great way to use up greens! I don’t trust my creative soup making ability so I’ve just been sauteeing my greens with lots of garlic.

  21. 21
    kickpleat   November 7, 2011 at 12:51 pm

    Lauren, thanks! This would be great with chickpeas too. Enjoy!

    Thanks Ashley – and I think you can give it a try – you’ve got some good cooking chops 😉

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