Creamy Leek and Barley Soup - perfect for lunch or dinner
What do you make when you have a whole bunch of leeks and a bag of pearl barley? This Creamy Leek and Barley soup, that's what.
My dad was pretty pleased when I made this. He loves a bowl of good soup. I love a good bowl of soup. Who doesn't love soup?
Soup is one of those easy kind of dishes too, don't you think? You just get all the ingredients going in a pot and it pretty much does it's own thing. The pearl barley does something amazing to soup too, making it hearty and filling.
Pearl barley takes about 30 minutes to cook, which is just about perfect timing for the flavours to develop in this Creamy Leek and Barley Soup.
For the creamy part of the soup, I add a little light cream at the end of cooking, it gives an amazing silky creaminess and when divided up, isn't much at all.
Remember this journey is for life, you can just one day get to your goal and go back to eating how you did before, it's not going to work.
So enjoy the occasional indulgences here and there, they won't break your bank if you plan wisely.
By all means swap the cream and use quark or similar, but you are not going to get that creamy taste if you do.
This soup is perfect for an instant pot too and takes far less time to cook. Perfect for a busy day, when you need a meal quick.
Wondering what an Instant Pot is?
It is basically a 7in1 cooker, and it slow cooks, pressure cooks, sautés, has a setting for soup, chilli, rice, porridge and even makes yoghurt (I haven't tried that yet).
This is one of the best things I have bought and I use it almost daily in one way or another. Hey I even cook my boiled eggs in this - you should see how effortlessly they peel.
Check out my other: Instant Pot Recipes
Click here to read more about the instant pot on Amazon
But don't worry, you don't need an instant pot to make this, it is perfectly fine made on the stove top too.
Then all that's left is to dig in and enjoy this delicious hearty soup. How will you eat yours? Just as it is, or topped with some yummy protein, like shredded chicken season with a little paprika, salt and black pepper and fried in some spray oil till cook through - yum!!
Recipe Card
Creamy Leek and Pearl Barley Soup
This recipe is dairy free, vegetarian, Slimming and Weight Watchers friendly
WW Smart Points - 7
Dairy Free - use coconut milk
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 large leeks, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- pinch of thyme
- 5 cups of stock (vegetable or chicken)
- 1 cup (240ml) of uncooked pearl barley
- spray oil
- salt and black pepper
- ½ cup (120ml) of half and half cream (light cream) or light coconut milk (for dairy free version)
Instructions
Stove Top
- Spray a deep pot over a medium heat with some spray oil, add the onions, garlic and leeks and saute for approx 5 mins to soften
- Add the pearl barley, stock, and season with a pinch of thyme and some salt and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
- Stir in the light cream and coconut milk and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes
- Serve and enjoy!!
Instant Pot
- Set to saute mode
- Spray with spray oil, add the onions, garlic and leeks and saute for approx 5-8 mins to soften
- Add the pearl barley, stock, and season with a pinch of thyme and some salt and black pepper.
- Add lid, close valve and set to high pressure (manual) for 10 minutes
- Allow a natural pressure release for about 5 minutes
- Open valve, remove lid and set to saute mode
- Add the light cream or coconut milk and simmer for approx 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy
Notes
Variation: Top with some protein of choice
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 284Total Fat 4.3gSaturated Fat 2.4gCholesterol 12.1mgSodium 139mgCarbohydrates 53.6gFiber 9.6gSugar 4.2gProtein 9.2g
Kevan Trotter says
Can I use coconut cream
Char RA says
I made this in the instant pot and omitted Step 7 (add cream). It was totally delicious and enjoyed by all (me, husband and 22 month old).