Kielbasa-Barley Soup
Published March 5, 2024
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 12ounces kielbasa, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 5garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- Salt and pepper
- 2quarts chicken broth
- 2medium carrots, parsnips or a mix, peeled if desired, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1cup pearled barley
- ⅓cup finely chopped dill
- 1teaspoon distilled white vinegar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
775 calories; 40 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 20 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 76 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 1700 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the kielbasa and oil over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add a few generous grinds of pepper and stir until fragrant, just a minute.
- Step 2
Add the broth, carrots, barley, dill and vinegar. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, scrape up browned bits stuck to the pot, then reduce heat to simmer until the barley is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Alice Pike
I, too, altered the recipe with what was at hand, bacon and kielbasa, as well as added lacinato kale. Flavors were as expected and the soup was light. A very satisfying soup.
Marta
Used this recipe as a base to riff off of. Excellent!
Diane
Looks like a great start but I cannot imagine a soup without celery.
Abby
I added mustard greens chopped up at the end worked nicely
Rodrigo
I made it as directed, but eventually I added a dash of white wine vinegar (balsamic or cider would be better), a drizzle of olive oil, and more salt at the end. It’s also good to really brown the meat. That provides much more flavor.
NCSong
This was surprisingly bland. I browned the kielbasa and onions in bacon fat and added celery and the other vegetables. Wound up adding 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, Texas Pete, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, and a teaspoon of rosemary. I’m hoping the flavors come together and become more pronounced after a few hours or a day.
TiminPS
Loved this! Even better the next day. Feel free to jazz it up any way you like. I added a fair amount of extra red pepper (gochugaru), for some mildly hot, fruity funkiness, plus some very small diced potatoes, for a bit of creaminess, and Swiss chard, cut a la chiffonade, for green. I had forgotten how much I like barley! Will definitely make again.
Roger
Delicious, cooked as written. Be aware though, that if you have leftovers, the barley will absorb all the liquids and turn this from a soup into a very thick stew. Adding water won't really fix it...
Julie
Very tasty on a blustery spring evening! The quality of, and spices in, the kielbasa seems to have a big impact on the flavor of the finished product - we used locally made, naturally smoked sausage. Made as written, adding one bay leaf and a bunch of choped lacinato kale. We also ended up adding an extra 2 cups of broth after the soup cooled, as the barley seems to have absorbed quite a bit of broth. Yum!
GZ Edits
Should be served with champagne and basque cheesecake
GZ
Best served with Pol Roger and Basque cheesecake. May be too heavy after eating sub sandwiches.
Valerie
Boy is this good. Reduced the liquid a bit to make a thicker soup. Used parsnips which have a subtler taste than carrots, which would have been a more forward flavor.
Andy I
Great soup. My carrots were a bit small so I added in two small potatoes to fill out the veg and that worked great. Might make this again with kale in the summer.
Jennifer
No parsnips; just carrots. Make sure to add enough salt. Top with sour cream.
Greg D
Add a few red pepper flakes to mine. Yum.
Nelda Pake
Very greasy. Shouldn't the kielbasa be drained after sautéing and the fat from it discarded?
Drgonzo777
I just made this soup with some changes. Four stars. In addition to the recipe as printed, I used two stalks of celery, a medium diced russet potato, and a can of crushed tomatoes. Very good.
mom of three
Delicious soup that somehow everyone in my family loved and devoured! I ended up doubling the recipe to have some to freeze. I also added juice from one lemon in the last couple minutes and it really brightened it up. Will definitely make again!
Jp
This was very salty. I would use low sodium stock next time. And less broth. I threw in cooked bulgur to soak up excess broth. Will add greens next time.
Amy
Started off bland but soup really transforms around the 25 minute mark. I like the flavors but I do wish it had more oomph.
Judi M.
Delicious! I made it as directed, except for replacing the chicken broth with a half-gallon of water and a healthy scoop (4.5-5 tablespoons) of Better Than Bouillon Reduced Sodium Roasted Chicken Base.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
