Hearty "Beef" and Barley Soup

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Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 6
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 193.4
  • Total Fat: 2.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
  • Sodium: 602.1 mg
  • Total Carbs: 28.2 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 7.2 g
  • Protein: 15.1 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Hearty "Beef" and Barley Soup calories by ingredient


Introduction

This is great comfort food -- it's thick, hearty, warm, spicy, and filling! Nice thing is, it's very low calorie and totally vegetarian! It's a great soup for too, because it's a nutritional powerhouse. This is great comfort food -- it's thick, hearty, warm, spicy, and filling! Nice thing is, it's very low calorie and totally vegetarian! It's a great soup for too, because it's a nutritional powerhouse.
Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

    2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
    2 stalks celery, diced
    1 medium onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 package LightLife soy crumbles
    1 15-oz can tomatoes
    1 qt. low sodium vegetable broth (or beef broth if you're not vegetarian)
    2/3 cup barley (I used the quick kind, if you use regular pearl barley, the cook time will be 45 minutes, not 30)
    2 tsp. chili powder
    1 tsp. oregano
    1/2 tsp. each old bay, black pepper and cumin
    Salt to taste
    2 tsp. low sodium worchestershire sauce (vegetarians, you'll need to find the kind without anchovies)
    Olive oil

    Optional:
    Cider vinegar
    Lemon juice
    Tobasco
    Extra worchestershire

Directions

1.) Drizzle 1 tbsp. olive oil in the bottom of a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and celery, and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt.
2.) Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and garlic, and sweat for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are softened
3.) Dump the tomatoes into the pot (undrained, the tomato juice adds flavor!), add the herbs and spices, broth, and worchestershire, and bring to a boil.
4.) Add the soy crumbles and simmer 5 minutes.
5.) Pour in the barley and a cup of very hot water. Cook until the barley is cooked but not mushy, about 10-15 minutes.
6.) Taste the soup for seasonings. If it needs a little "brightness," add lemon juice or cider vinegar. If you want it to taste a little meatier, add more worchestershire. And if you like a little kick, add tobasco.

Serve with fresh bread and a nice big salad. Yum!!

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BTVMADS.