IP Veggie Lentil Barley Soup

A hearty, satisfying soup that will warm your bones, soothe your taste buds and quell your hunger cravings, while supporting your health goals at the same time. It’s super simple and quick to make in the pressure cooker too! High in protein and fiber, a good source of iron, potassium and antioxidants and just 134 calories per serving, this soup is a great way to sneak more veggies into your diet.

I know I’ve been posting a lot of soups lately, but the chill and snow from this winter is starting to drag me down, and soup just soothes my soul and lifts me back up. To all the rest of you who are struggling through this winter: have some soup, drink something warm, stretch out your muscles (especially your shoulders if they’re sore from shoveling snow!), and look for even the tiniest signs of spring. I’ve noticed that the days are getting longer … even though the yard looks whiter than ever and the snow is piling up everywhere, at least when I can still see it at 6 or 7 pm, I know spring is on it’s way.

Why vegetable barley soup?

It’s part of my initiative to lower my cholesterol this year. Barley is one of the top two grains (right alongside oats) that are recommended for a low cholesterol diet … and when I think barley, I think soup. At first a beef and barley soup came to mind, but I wanted to do a soup that was loaded with veggies, so I decided to make a vegetarian soup … and while I was at it, to add a little more fiber and protein, why not toss in some lentils? I ended up with a very different soup from my Steak and Mushroom Barley Soup, but I think I love it just as much, if not a little more. There are so many different flavors and textures going on in this easy soup.

Also, I’ve started tracking what I’m eating on my little “health app” on my phone. It tells me how I’m doing, calorie wise and where I’m at with protein, fiber, fat, carbs, etc.  I know it’s not 100% accurate, but it’s made me way more aware of how my food choices affect my nutrition profile. I’m particularly focused on fiber because I know fiber is a huge factor for cholesterol. So I wanted LOTS of fiber in my soup, to help ease my mind from coming to the end of day and wondering how I’m going to fill my daily quota of fiber. This soup totally does the trick!

Do you have to have an Instant Pot?

Oh gosh, no! You could totally make this soup on the stove top. Once you’ve sauteed the onions and garlic, just add all the ingredients to a soup pot instead, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 – 45 minutes or until the lentils, peas and barley are nice and tender.

Also, you can change up the vegetables to whatever you have on hand … or whatever sounds good to you! It’s a very versatile soup that can bend to your preferences.

Instant Pot Veggie Lentil Barley Soup

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Ingredients

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• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon melted butter (or more olive oil to make it vegan)
• 1 large onion, peeled & chopped
• 3 stalks of celery
• 2 large carrots
• 1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 cup cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 1 medium zucchini (about 8 inches), chopped
• 1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 1/2 cup lentils (I used red lentils, but any will do)
• 1/4 cup split peas (or use more lentils)
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 pint fire roasted tomatoes (or a 15-oz. can of chopped tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (or black)
• A bit of each: fresh oregano, basil and rosemary, chopped

For more oomph: (optional, but recommended)

• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 – 4 teaspoons harissa paste

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Instructions

1. Peel & chop the garlic and put in a small bowl with the olive oil. Let the garlic infuse the oil with flavor while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
2. Once you’ve got all the veggies prepped, melt the butter, then add the garlic/olive oil mix, onion and garlic and saute until the onion is tender, translucent – either in the Instant Pot on the saute setting or in a frying pan on the stove over medium heat.
3. Put the sauteed veggies in the pressure cooker along with the rest of the ingredients. Set to “sealing” and pressure cook for 10 minutes. When done, use the quick release to release the pressure. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Enjoy!

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Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

© Copyright 2019, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: About 1 cup
• Calories: 134
• Fat: 3.8g