Serves 8
70 min
German Barley Soup
Recipe GLPR3c8df24ff3bc0b
A hearty German barley soup featuring pearl barley simmered with root vegetables, aromatic herbs, and traditional German sausages. This comforting, rustic soup balances tender vegetables and chewy barley with savory sausage and bacon, finished with bright parsley.
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Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup pearl barley
8 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled russet potato
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery root
1/2 cup finely chopped leek, white and light green parts
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 German sausages (such as bockwurst or bratwurst)
1 piece (2 ounces) bacon
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Dice the bacon into small pieces and cook in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
Add the butter to the bacon fat and warm over medium heat. Once melted, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the pearl barley and stir well.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add the chopped potato, carrot, celery root, leek, and dried marjoram. Stir to combine.
Prick the sausages with a fork and add them to the pot. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Remove the sausages from the pot and slice them into bite-sized pieces. Return the sausage pieces to the soup.
Stir in the reserved cooked bacon. Season the soup with freshly grated nutmeg, kosher salt, and black pepper to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a generous sprinkle of fresh sliced parsley. Serve hot.
