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
If the barley & split peas you are using are old, they will take longer to cook. Mine were pretty old, so if you are using new grains/legumes, please adjust the cooking time.1 T coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced
1 T cumin seeds, crushed
1 t aleppo pepper
1 pinch of sea salt
1/2 c barley
1/2 c green spit peas
6 c good stock (chicken or vegetable or a mix of both)
1/2 bunch each of swiss chard & kale, cut into thin ribbons
1/2 bunch baby spinach
1 t dried dill or 2 T chopped fresh dillIn a large pot, heat oil and add in onion until soft and fragrant. Add in the garlic, carrots, crushed cumin seeds, salt and pepper and stir around so everything gets coated and slick with spice and oil. Pour in the barley and spit peas along with the stock. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until it boils. Turn down heat to a simmer and cook until the barley and split peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Is it more stew-like that soup-like? Add more water or broth if you like. Add in greens and dill and let simmer for another 10 minutes and serve.
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Oh, yes. Comfort in a bowl! It’s handy to have recipes like this to use up CSA odds and ends.
mmmmmmmmm i love barley in soups! this one looks so easy and tasty. thanks for the idea!
Sounds delicious. Barley is such a great addition to soup.
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!
Thanks for sharing. I’m going to try it out this week!
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 🙂
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!!
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!
Nettie, barley is a good grain to reacquaint yourself with! Enjoy.
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!
Perfect – I love barley. Do you make your own stock? I haven’t tried that before, but it looks time consuming. No?
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!
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!
Hooray, Sharon. I’m so glad you liked this and got to try barley out of the deal too.
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.
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.
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 😉