Chickpea Soup with Kale and Barley

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Post image for Chickpea Soup with Kale and Barley

As the weather cools I begin to search for my seasonal fall vegetable recipes in my crowded over-stuffed shoe-box. Believe me it almost takes the entire afternoon to do this. Someday, I promised my kids I’ll try and scan them into an organized file. Soups are my favorite to make, the fill the house with wonderful smells and frost up the windows. My go to is my Chickpea Soup with kale and barley, for a hearty meal.

This Chickpea Soup with Kale and Barley is quick and full of goodness.When it turns cold outside I begin to use up all my summer pantry ingredients and shop for more seasonal and more hearty vegetables. As your plan out your weekly meals, I have compiled a short list for you in preparation for a colder season ahead. If you decide to cook fresh chickpeas, check out my cooking techniques for chickpeas. I cook up a pound or two on the weekends and freeze the remaining beans for hummus and soups. You can find my homemade vegetable stock as well on my blog, for those of you who are interested in developing your own freshly made stock. For a last touch to your soup try and add a splash of lemon!

Fall pantry ingredients to stock up on:
  • Broths – boxed or canned (homemade is best!)
  • Hearty grains such as barley, farro, bulgur, wheat berries
  • Root vegetables – turnips, fennel, radishes,carrots, beets, sweet potato…
  • All kinds of beans and lentils, grains
  • Frozen corn kernels, green beans, peas
  • Whole wheat or gluten free pastas, and noodles
 

Chickpea Soup with Kale and Barley

Try adding this soup to your recipe box for a nice fall dish for your family. Replace what you have in your cupboard for the grains with pasta or rice.
Course Soup
Cuisine California Greek
Keyword barley, chickpeas, kale, soup
Servings 4
Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
  • salt and pepper as needed
  • 1/2 cup of cooked barley
  • 2 cups of chopped kale
  • Juice of one lemon

Instructions

Vegetable Stock

  1. Make your vegetable stock and set aside. Or purchase boxed or canned stock .

Barley

  1. Place 2 cups of of water on to boil and add the barley. Cook until tender. Drain.
  2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and cook until vegetables are tender, 5-6 minutes.
  3. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, fennel seeds, pepper flakes, parsley and rosemary.
  4. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer around 30 minutes.
  5. Add the cooked barley and kale and cook until tender.
  6. Add the lemon juice before serving.
  7. Makes 2 quarts

Recipe Notes

Save the cooking water from the barley, pasta, or rice you are pre-cooking, for extra liquid you may need for the soup.

Try many of my other soups:

 

Greek Escarole Soup with Orzo

Cabbage Soup with Fresh Vegetable Stock

Cold Tomato and Zucchini Soup with Ginger

Stay Healthy,

Mary 

 

 

© 2013 – 2022, Mary Papoulias-Platis. All rights reserved.

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Cut 'N Clean Greens

Another winner from you, Mary! That looks fantastic!
We’re going to share it on social media on Thursday, and link here.

–Your friendly Southern California farmers at Cut ‘N Clean Greens

2 Mary Papoulias-Platis

Thank-you for the post on Thursday! We just sat down to enjoy our soup- with a big green salad!
Looking forward to seeing your amazing seasonal fall products, Cut’N Clean!

3 Eha

What a great soup: healthy and full of fibre!! Altho’ spring has truly sprung in my part Down Under, I still make such soups especially for evening meals. Methinks the rosemary and fennel are the big taste ‘lifters’ here 🙂 !

4 Kim

Hi Mary! What a wonderful contribution to the Meatless Monday campaign! I’m making a real effort to participate this autumn, and I usually have the hardest time finding a soup that’s filling enough to be a meal. THIS IS IT!!! So thank you. It’s on the list for me to try, soon. Definitely storing extras for lunches in the office.

[K]

5 Mary Papoulias-Platis

Hi Kim, It’s so good to hear from you! This is one of my favorite soups. When cooking the barley or rice, pasta choices save the water in case you need more for the soup- tasty! Hope to see you soon!

6 catherine

is there diced fennel in this recipe? it is not listed in the ingredient list (fennel seeds are). but i see diced fennel mentioned in the directions. thanks!

catherine

7 Mary Papoulias-Platis

So sorry for the error with the fennel. It is only fennel seeds.
I love this soup and I hope you try it!
Mary

8 Constantine Platis

Great recipe! Followed it to a tee and it came out great. Thanks!

9 Mary Papoulias-Platis

Thank you! You chose one of my favorite soups. Mary

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