Barley Minestrone With Pesto

May 10, 2023May 10, 20230 1
Barley Minestrone With Pesto — A healthy and hearty soup packed with fresh veggies and pearl barley
in Soup

Prep

20 min

Cook

50 min

Ready In

70 min

Level

Easy

Rating

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars
Loading...

Ingredients

1/2 cup pearl barley ( soaded for 4 hours and drained )
1 1/2 cups green cabbage , roughly chopped
1 onion , diced
1 carrot , diced
1 stalk celery , diced
1 zucchini , diced
4 tomatoes , seeded and diced
1 baking potato , peeled and diced
1/2 cup frozen fava beans ( or substitute green peas or baby limas )
1 garlic clove , crushed
4 cups vegetable stock ( or chicken )
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 - 1 cup fresh basil leaf
2 garlic cloves , crushed

Nutrision Information

Servings Per Recipe
6
Calories
164
Sugar
6g
Fat
3g
Barley Minestrone With Pesto is a hearty and wholesome soup that is perfect for cold weather, as it provides comfort and warmth from within. It is a healthy and flavorful meal that can be eaten as a main course or as a first course before your main dish. The soup is loaded with fresh vegetables and pearl barley, which work together to create a perfect balance between the flavors and textures. Barley Minestrone With Pesto can also be stored in the fridge or freezer for a quick and easy meal on busy days.

Instructions

1.In a large pot, heat 1/4 cup of vegetable stock over medium heat.
2.Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften.
3.Add the zucchini, garlic, and cabbage, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
4.Stir in the pearl barley and diced tomatoes.
5.Add the remaining vegetable stock and bring the soup to a boil.
6.Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender.
7.Add the fava beans and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
8.In a blender or food processor, combine the basil leaves and garlic cloves until finely chopped.
9.Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a spoonful of pesto.

PROS

This soup is loaded with veggies, making it incredibly nutritious and filling.
The addition of pearl barley provides fiber, protein, and complex carbs, which will keep you feeling satisfied for longer periods.
Pesto offers a rich and unique flavor profile to the soup, with its olive oil, pine nut, and garlic base adding more healthful fats to the dish.

CONS

The pearl barley needs to be soaked beforehand.
It also takes some time and effort to dice the veggies and chop the basil leaves and garlic for the pesto sauce.
The high fiber content in the soup may cause some people to feel bloated or gassy.

HEALTH & BENEFITS

Barley Minestrone With Pesto is a perfect vegetarian meal that provides a range of healthy benefits. The pearl barley is high in fiber, which helps with digestion and stabilizes blood sugar levels. Moreover, pearl barley provides one-quarter of the daily recommended amount of magnesium, a mineral that promotes heart health. The soup’s veggies, like cabbage and zucchini, are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, and minerals like magnesium and potassium. Cooking them in vegetable stock adds more healthful nutrients to the dish. Lastly, the pesto sauce contains healthy fats from pine nuts, making it beneficial for heart, brain, and skin health.

Print

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.