The Health Benefits of Barley and Why You Need to Eat it More Often

Barley is a cereal grain that was first cultivated more than 10,000 years ago, and it was an essential part of the human diet and most notably used to make beer in ancient times. Today, barley is still used to make beer and other alcoholic beverages, but it also has many different uses, such as in animal feed or as an ingredient for soups and stews.

Barley can be soaked overnight or cooked for an hour in a Dutch Oven before boiling to soften the grains and release their nutrients. The most popular way to eat barley is a soup with hearty vegetables like carrots, onions, potatoes, celery, garlic, and leeks.

The health benefits of this type of cereal grain can vary depending on how it is prepared but it contains high levels of soluble fiber which can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. In addition to reducing cholesterol, research shows that it also reduces the risk for diabetes – both Type I and Type 2 – as well as helps control blood sugar levels.

Making the best barley soup is not too hard if you follow these simple tips:

1. Pick the suitable types of barley for your soup. The type of barley you should use for this recipe is hull-less or pearled barley; barley can be found at most major grocery stores or international markets.

2. Rinse the pearl barley in cold water before adding them to boiling water to soften them and make their flavor sweeter, making them more delicious.

3. Add thyme sprigs, bay leaves, salt, and pepper liberally to give your soup an extra flavor boost! Thyme has a lovely scent that will waft through your home while it’s cooking, in addition to adding flavor to the soup!

Delicious Vegetarian Barley Soup Recipe – A Gluten-Free and Vegan Dish

I always have a pot of barley soup on the stove. It is an easy meal for when I don’t have the time to elaborate or want something healthy. It’s home-cooked and wholesome, the perfect soup for family meals, a healthy breakfast, or when you’re feeling a little under the weather. My whole family loves barley soup!

This hearty soup has so many benefits if you wish to use a low-calorie diet for a weight loss program. The bowl of soup has high nutritional values, low-calorie content, and high fiber content. You can also use this soup in place of rice in any dish!

Comforting Beef Barley Soup

Cooking the same dishes over and again can lead to a rut in the kitchen for any home chef. Beef Barley Soup is a nutritious and low-calorie option because of the inclusion of vegetables. It’s a great way to keep things fresh and exciting in the kitchen!

For the non-vegan option, according to your personal preferences, you may add chunks of beef, ground beef, and beef broth to make Beef Barley Soup. Cook the meat and barley using a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot to turn into melting-tender beef chunks collagen-rich. Thanks to its somewhat nutty flavor and unique, chewy texture, it’ll be a success in your next homemade soup.

It’s easy to make adaptable, and there are a plethora of recipes online for barley soup, and you probably already have all the components in your kitchen.

Cooking Method

If you want to get started cooking with barley, this recipe will be an excellent place for you to start.

It’s also packed with lots of different flavors and textures, so it’s easy to eat and won’t leave you feeling like you just ate a heavy meal.

It starts by sautéing the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, i.e., mirepoix in butter, seasoning with a pinch of salt until they’re nice and tender. We add the vegetable stock and pearl barley and bring it all together. For deep flavor, we season with salt and some pepper, thyme leaves, and bay leaves before letting it cook for about an hour or so.

Ingredients:

• One cup of pearl barley, rinsed and soaked overnight.
• 2 cups of vegetable stock
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• One teaspoon minced garlic or Cloves Garlic
• 2 Tbps Olive Oil
• 1 Tbps Unsalted butter
• Two medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• Two celery stalks, chopped
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• One bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves or fresh herbs
• One teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Note:

• Barley is traditionally cooked with water, but I prefer vegetable broth. Serve it warm with grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
• When cooking, don’t overcook your barley; it will become mushy when overdone. Cook up a big batch and freeze individual servings in an airtight container for later – it freezes beautifully, and you’ll love how easy it is to microwave or reheat on the stove.

Number of Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 40-50 minutes