Warm up with a cozy bowl of Hearty & Creamy Ham, Bean, and Barley Soup. Full of tender smoked ham, fiber rich cannellini beans, and chewy barley - this is perfect comfort food.
This filling one pot soup recipe is a delicious combination of nutritious but flavorful ingredients. Chase away the chill with a comforting bowl of this creamy and delicious soup.
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Tips about Barley
Barley is available in two different types - hulled or pearled. Listed are a few differences between the two types.
- The differences in barley are attributed to the processing of the grain.
- Hulled barley has the outer hull removed but the bran and endosperm are intact. It is considered a whole grain. Hulled barley takes longer to cook and will absorb less water .
- Pearl barley has the outer hull, bran, endosperm removed. It is not considered a whole grain. However, because of its processing, pearled barley cooks quicker. However, it can get mushy because it releases starch when it is cooked.
- Uncooked pearled barley can be stored longer than hulled because it does not contain the bran which can go rancid.
Here are a couple of tips for cooking both types of barley.
- For every cup of barley, add 3 cups of water when cooking.
- Soaking hulled barley for a couple of hours will cut down on the cooking time. Pearled barley does not need to be soaked.
Ingredients
Barley - I used pearled barley since it cooks faster. However, you can used hulled barley but the cooking time will need to be adjusted.
Vegetables - yellow onions, cannellini beans, cremini mushrooms, and shredded carrots
Soup Components - chicken stock, smoked ham, and heavy cream
Herbs and Flavorings - garlic, fresh sage and parsley, bay leaves, and dijon mustard
Pantry Items - olive oil, butter, and flour
Garnishes - parmesan cheese, sour cream, and crusty bread
Step-by-Step Instructions
This is a one pot recipe. There is some prep for the vegetables but the recipe is not complicated.
- Step 1: Prepare the vegetables by thinly slice the onions and mushrooms. Dice the smoked ham in to ½" cubes. Mince the garlic cloves, parsley, and sage.
- Step 2: Saute the onions until golden brown in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the mushrooms, scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan when the mushrooms release water. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- Step 3: Add the diced ham to the vegetables. After a few minutes, add the minced garlic and unsalted butter to the pot. Stir as the butter melts and the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Step 4: Add flour to the pot, stirring it to combine with the butter, creating a roux. Add dijon mustard to the pot and stir it into the roux. When the ingredients are incorporated, add chicken stock to the pot and scrape any brown bits off the bottom. Add the bay leaves and sage.
- Step 5: As the soup comes to a boil, it will start to slightly thicken. Add the barley and reduce to medium high heat. After 15 minutes, add the cannellini beans and the shredded carrots to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes.
- Step 6: Finish the soup with heavy cream and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Garnish this great soup with shaved parmesan cheese, crusty bread, or a drizzle of sour cream.
Looking for soup recipes suggestions? Here are some favorites -
https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/black-bean-and-chorizo-soup/
https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/creamy-chicken-and-orzo-soup/
FAQ's
Absolutely. For ease of preparation on a week night, I use canned beans. I find it helpful to have a couple cans of beans in the pantry for those nights when I am trying to get dinner prepared after a long day.
The soup is good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Once the soup has cooled , put it in a airtight container. However, the next day the barley will have soaked up the chicken stock, leaving more of a stew than a soup. You may need to add more stock when you reheat the soup.
That would be delicious. A meaty ham bone would add pronounced flavor to the soup.
Substitutions
Here are a few variations to adapt the recipe to different diets.
- Make this a vegetarian soup by using vegetable broth or stock rather than chicken. Replace the smoked ham with a vegan ham product and a touch of smoked paprika, cumin or liquid aminos. Crispy baked tofu seasoned with some of the above spices can add delicious flavor.
- Add more vegetables. Suggestions are spinach, celery, or cauliflower.
- For a gluten-free diet, use diced potatoes as a substitution for barley. Brown diced potatoes so they remain cubes when added to the stock.
Comfort Food Soup
Warm up your chilly evenings with a bowl of Hearty & Creamy Ham, Bean, and Barley Soup. With simple ingredients and about 1 hour, you can have a hot, hearty and delicious meal simmering on the stove. Packed with tender beans and chewy barley, this delicious soup is a perfect way to nourish your body..
This homemade soup is a meal on its own and is perfect for cozy family dinners or meal prep for the week ahead. Ideal for cold weather, savor a bowl of this soup - its sure to become a favorite.
If you make a pot of this delicious Hearty & Creamy Ham, Bean, and Barley Soup, let me know how it turns out! Drop a comment below.
Recipe
Hearty & Creamy Ham, Bean, and Barley Soup
Equipment
- 1 stock pot or dutch oven
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Vegetables
- 1 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced (5 ounces/142 grams)
- 2¼ cups cremini mushrooms, sliced (6 ounces/171 grams)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, thinly sliced
Soup Ingredients
- 8 ounces smoked ham steak (227 grams/1½ cups diced ham)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic (1 tablespoon, minced)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 6 cups chicken stock (1.44 liters)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup barley (5 ounces/142 grams)
- 15 ounces cannellini beans (1 can/424 grams/1½ cups)
- 1 cup carrots, shredded or thinly sliced (3 ounces/84 grams)
- ¼ cup heavy cream (60 ml)
Garnishes
- parmesan cheese shards
- sour cream
- crusty bread
Instructions
Prep Ingredients
- Chop the onion into thin slices.
- Cut the cremini mushrooms into ¼" slices.
- Dice the ham into ½" cubes.
- Mince the garlic cloves, sage, and parsley.
Prepare the Soup
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and saute for 6 minutes until golden brown.
- Add the mushrooms and saute for 10 minutes. The mushrooms will release liquid as they cook. As this happens, scrap the bottom of the pot to release the fond.
- Season with 1½ teaspoons of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Add the diced ham and stir to incorporate with the vegetables.
- After 3 minutes, add the garlic and unsalted butter. Stir as the butter melts and the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour into the pot. Stir the flour into the butter to create a roux.
- After a minute, add the dijon mustard and mix it into the roux. Add the chicken stock and scrape any bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Add the bay leaves and the sage. Bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium high and add the barley to the pot. What type of barley you use will determine how long it takes to cook. If using pearled, cook the barley for about 15 minutes.
- Add the cannelini beans and the shredded carrots to the soup. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Finish the soup with ¼ cup of heavy cream. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- Serve the soup with parmesan cheese shards and a drizzle of sour cream. Crusty bread would also be a delicious garnish.
Notes
Substitutions
Here are a few variations to adapt the recipe to different diets.- Make this a vegetarian soup by using vegetable broth or stock rather than chicken. Replace the smoked ham with a vegan ham product and a touch of smoked paprika, cumin or liquid aminos. Crispy baked tofu seasoned with some of the above spices can add delicious flavor.
- Add more vegetables. Suggestions are spinach, celery, or cauliflower.
- For a gluten-free diet, use diced potatoes as a substitution for barley. Brown diced potatoes so they remain cubes when added to the stock.
Nutrition
Lori says
So good! I will definitely make this again and again. Very flavorful and filling.
Julie says
So glad you enjoy the soup! Nothing better in the winter than a hearty bowl of soup.
Julie says
Filling and comforting!