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Barley soup

Barley soup

A nutritious Swiss-inspired soup perfect for colder days.

Step-by-step instructions in images

barley_soup

  • 4 people
  • 30 minutes
  • 60 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion
  • 200 g leek
  • 200 g carrots
  • 150 g celery root
  • 100 g pearl barley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves
  • 200 ml plant-based cream*
  • 400 g smoked tofu
  • 2 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
  • 2–3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp sesame oil
  • a handful of fresh parsley or chives, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Prepare the vegetables: Peel and chop the carrots and celeriac into small cubes. Clean the leek and cut it into rings. Finely chop the onion.
  2. Sauté the base: Heat 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the leek and sauté for another 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots and celeriac, and fry for about 2 more minutes. Finally, add the pearl barley and fry briefly while stirring.
  3. Add broth and spices: Stick the cloves into the bay leaves to make them easier to remove later. Add the bay leaves and vegetable bouillon powder dissolved in about 1 L of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer gently for about 1 hour, until the barley is tender.
  4. Prepare the tofu topping: Cut the smoked tofu into small cubes. Toss them with 1–2 tablespoons of sesame oil (or another neutral oil such as sunflower or rapeseed oil). Fry the cubes in an air fryer at 200 °C for about 10-15 minutes, or pan-fry until golden and crispy.
  5. Finish the soup: Remove the bay leaves and cloves from the pot. Stir in the plant-based cream and heat through if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the crispy tofu cubes, and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley or chives.

Notes

  • *I usually use “Alpro Soya Cuisine” or “Alnatura Soja Cuisine”
  • This recipe is inspired by the traditional “Bündner Gerstensuppe” from the canton of Graubünden which features meat from the canton (“Bündnerfleisch”). You can find recipes on Fooby and Betty Bossy.

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