Soups 🇮🇪 Irish

Irish Vegetable and Barley Soup

A chunky, filling soup of root vegetables and pearl barley, with a thick spoonable texture.

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  • Time1 hr
  • LevelEasy
  • Costabout £1.75 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

6 servings

Ingredients

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Method

  1. 1

    Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the onion, carrots, parsnips and leek for 8 minutes, until starting to soften.

    8 min
  2. 2

    Rinse the barley and add to the pan with the stock and bay leaf. Bring to the boil.

  3. 3

    Simmer, partly covered, for 25 minutes.

    25 min
  4. 4

    Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes more, until the barley and potatoes are tender.

    15 min
  5. 5

    Remove the bay leaf and season well. Stir in the parsley and serve with brown soda bread.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.

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