I like to use hot sausage to make it spicy.
- Carbohydrate 76.32099641666 g
- Cholesterol 63.786426975 mg
- Fat 30.97391776655 g
- Fiber 11.7566252291203 g
- Protein 30.37527228215 g
- Saturated Fat 11.47036701608 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (547g)
- Sodium 2903.770561751 mg
- Sugar 64.5643711875397 g
- Trans Fat 2.03302124293 g
- Calories 693 calories
Step-by-step
- If sausage is in casing remove.
- Cook on medium 8 minutes or until done in a dutch oven.
- Remove.
- Cook mushrooms, shallots, carrots and celery in same pot on medium-high for 10 minutes.
- Add the barley, garlic and thyme and cook 2 more minutes.
- Stir in broth and 3 cups water.
- Bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and sausage and cook for 2 more minutes.
When pantry storage demands utilizing quick-cooking grains rather than pearled varieties that require an hour of boiling, this recipe accommodates that constraint by relying on a 10-minute simmer for the starch. Cooking the sausage first renders out sufficient fat in the Dutch oven to brown the sliced mushrooms, shallots, carrots, and celery effectively without adding extra oil. Because quick-cooking barley absorbs liquid rapidly compared to traditional hulled types, monitoring the broth-to-water ratio closely prevents the pot from turning into a thick porridge.
Barley soups draw on centuries of European peasant traditions where durable grains stretched limited meats through long winters. Swapping the hot Italian sausage for mild pork links alters the heat profile entirely, whereas using ground turkey changes the fat rendering and requires supplementing a tablespoon of olive oil to sear the vegetables properly. Fresh baby spinach added at the very end wilts within 120 seconds, retaining its bright chlorophyll color without becoming drab or sulfurous from overcooking.
