Ketchup With That

  • Ketchup With That Kitchen
  • Blog
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact

Meatless Monday: Pumpkin Barley Soup (vegan)

November 12, 2018 Mary Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe

Pumpkin Barley Soup is an easy vegan make-ahead meal that freezes well. 
Pumpkin Barley Soup

November was made for soup.

Thick, flavorful soup that makes the long nights seem less dark, and the fierce winds less menacing.

And since you never know when a storm might blow in that will make the roads hard to navigate, it’s good to have some easy recipes on hand that use easy to find ingredients.

The only thing a bit unusual in this soup is the sumac. It’s a popular spice in Middle Eastern cuisine with a slight tang that brightens up salads and marinades – it’s worth buying if you can find it in the import section of your grocery store. If not, you can add a bit of lemon juice to the soup before serving.

You can use pearl or pot barley. Pearl barley will thicken things up, resulting in a soup that will need thinning out if you make it ahead. Pot barley takes longer to soften, but doesn’t have the same intense thickening ability.

So stare down the darkness – celebrate the light around your table with Pumpkin Barley Soup.

5 from 2 votes
Print
Pumpkin Barley Soup (vegan)
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

You can use pot or pearl barley in this soup. Pot barley will take a bit longer to cook, so add 30-35 minutes to the cooking time if you use it. Sumac is a slightly sour spice that provides a nice contrast in this soup. If you don't have any, you can omit it or add 1/2 tablespoon / 7.5 ml of lime or lemon juice to the soup at the end of the cooking time.

Category: Soup
Type: Vegan
Servings: 6
Author: Mary - Ketchup With That
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons /30 ml oil
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups / 500 ml)
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon /2.5 ml salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons /7.5 ml chili powder
  • 1 small can tomato paste (5.5 oz - approx 2/3 cup / 176 ml)
  • 3/4 cup /375 ml pearl barley (see note)
  • 8 cups /2 liters vegetable stock
  • 1-1/2 cups //375 ml pumpkin
  • 1/2 teaspoon /2.5 ml salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon /1.25 ml ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon /5 ml sumac (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-low heat. When the pan is heated, add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add onions and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Don't let the onions brown. If they start to brown turn down the heat. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.


  2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and chili powder. Stir to coat onions with spices and cook, stirring for one minute. Add tomato paste and cook for another minute.

  3. Add barley and vegetable stock. Bring soup to boiling, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes (if you are using pot barley, simmer for an additional 30 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 

  4. Add pumpkin, salt, ground pepper and sumac (if using). Stir until smooth and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent soup from sticking. 

  5. Test a barley grain. They should be a bit chewy, but not hard. Serve hot, or let cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze. The barley will continue to soften as the soup cools.

  6. If you are making this soup ahead of time, you may need to thin it out as the barley will continue to thicken the soup during cooling. Add 1/2-1 cup / 125-250 ml additional stock

Recipe Notes

Pearl barley vs. pot barley: Pearl barley is polished and slightly more refined than pot barley, however it retains most of the same nutritional value. Pot barley will require additional cooking time in order to soften.

To freeze: Cool soup and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in fridge, then reheat on stovetop or in microwave.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

You might like

make ahead, meatless monday, soup, vegan

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome

Hi. I'm Mary. My recipes are vegetarian, but you don't have to be - there's room for everyone at the table in my Maritime kitchen. Read More…

Official Meatless Monday Blogger

Looking for a recipe?

Don't miss a recipe!

Featured Posts

Potato Parsnip Waffles

Meatless Monday: Potato Parsnip Waffles

Easy Pastry Made with Oil

Easy Pastry Made with Oil (Vegan)

Apple Cider Apple Tarts (vegan)

Meatless Monday: Mini Apple Cider Apple Pies (Vegan)

Rice Salad with Dates, Chickpeas and Butternut Squash

Meatless Monday: Rice Salad with Chickpeas, Dates and Butternut Squash

Pear Upside-Down Cake

Pear Upside Down Cake

Easy Bean and Corn Pie

Meatless Monday: One-dish Beans and Cornbread

Uncle Vinnie's Date Squares

Uncle Vinnie’s Date Squares

Big Batch Spaghetti Sauce

Big Batch Meatless Spaghetti Sauce

Top Posts

  • Ten Free PDF Cookbooks
  • Sweet Chili Salad Dressing
  • Meatless Monday: 8 Free Vegetarian and Vegan PDF Cookbooks
  • 10 Free Vintage Cookbooks
  • Slow Cooker Mincemeat (vegan)
  • Layered Dip with Salsa, Avocado and Sour Cream
  • Chocolate Overload Brownies
  • Whole Grain Breakfast Biscotti
  • Brown Sugar Caramel Frosting
  • Apple Rhubarb Chutney - Updated

Free Printable Cookbook

Fifty-Two Meatless Meals Cookbook from Ketchup With That

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Ketchup With That