Who doesn’t love a nice hot bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day? I know I certainly do. There’s just nothing like staying tucked in on a snow day with a pot of soup simmering on the stove. Such a comforting thought.
This tomato and barley soup recipe was passed along to me by my good friend Geneviève. It is a wonderful recipe, and so flexible. You can change up the seasonings and broth, and you can add meat to the soup too if you’d like. Sometimes I fry up a bit of ground beef to add to this soup.
Thank you Geneviève, for a great recipe. Thank you too, for being a good friend. I hope our friendship continues to grow in the years ahead of us.
[Recipe] Tomato Barley Soup
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp oil (any oil works)
1 can diced tomatoes (Italian seasoned work well)
1 carton broth (approximately 4 cups – I use low sodium)
1/4 cup uncooked barley
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Note: If using a can of plain diced tomatoes, add some herbs and spices to the soup, a couple of teaspoons of your favourites.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and oil. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until all vegetables are almost tender.
Add canned tomatoes, broth, barley, and ground black pepper.
Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until barley is tender.
