This turkey barley soup is a great way to use up leftover turkey and get a comforting bowl of soup all in one easy recipe. Here, succulent turkey is combined with vegetables and barley to make a simple soup that’s wholesome and warming.
This tasty soup uses pantry staples and combines them with fresh ingredients to get a “homemade” taste in a fraction of the time. We take store bought chicken broth and add it to sautéed onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and spices enhancing the taste of the broth.
We also opt for quick-cooking barley for this hearty turkey barley soup. Quick cook barley is a type of barley flake that cooks quickly (about 10-15 minutes). It has been steamed and then dried. It takes less time to make because it has been partially cooked.
So put your turkey leftovers to good use and make this wholesome soup that makes an easy meal on a chilly night! And to make the most of that opened box of barley try this beef barley soup, that’s a hearty soup recipe that’s sure to please.
Ingredients
- Oil – We use olive oil to sauté the vegetables. Use your favorite oil that is suitable for sautéing.
- Turkey – This soup is made with cooked turkey. You can use leftover turkey meat or purchase cooked turkey from the supermarket. Just remove any bone, skin, and fat and shred it or dice it into bite size pieces and you are ready to go.
- Barley – Quick cook barley is the trick to making this turkey soup without a long cooking time. If you need to use pearl barley, then cook it to package directions before adding it to the soup. Find quick cook pearled barley in the rice/grains aisle of large supermarkets or online.
- Vegetables – The base of the soup is made with onions (use yellow or white), carrots, celery, and garlic cloves.
- Broth – Chicken broth and turkey broth will work equally well for this turkey barley soup recipe. If you are sensitive to salt use a low-sodium variety. If you make homemade turkey stock this is a delicious way to use it.
- Spices – Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt (if needed) season the soup simply.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat (we use a 6 quart dutch oven). Add the carrots, onions, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Next, add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
Add the turkey and the broth. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the quick cook barley. Raise the heat, bring the soup back to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the barley is tender. Stir occasionally.
Taste the finished turkey barley soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon salt to ours. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with a couple of lime wedges and slices of crusty bread on the side, if desired.
Storing instructions
Store leftover turkey barley soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze the soup, cool it quickly and place in airtight, freezer safe containers. Remember to leave an inch or two of space to allow for expansion. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Gently, reheat the soup in a covered saucepan over medium-low to low heat until heated through (at least 165°F), stir occasionally – or reheat in the microwave.
It may be necessary to add a few tablespoons of broth or water when reheating because the barley soup thickens when stored.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
One last note
To get the most out of your food dollar don’t just eat leftovers, transform them into fantastic new dishes. For the best turkey soup recipes try our turkey rice soup and our turkey noodle soup. If you have leftover ham this ham and wild rice soup is a great option.
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📖 Recipe
Turkey Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil or use your favorite if it is suitable for sautéing
- 2 Carrots sliced into rounds or half rounds depending on the size
- 1 Medium Onion small dice
- 1 Celery Rib diced or sliced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 pound Cooked Turkey skin and bones removed, cubed, or shredded
- 6 cups Chicken Broth or Turkey Broth
- ½ cup Quick Cook Pearl Barley
- Salt if needed at the end (we use kosher salt)
- 1 tablespoon Chopped Parsley for garnish optional
- 8 Lime Wedges for serving optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Stir occasionally.
- Next, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
- Add the turkey and the broth. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a simmer (this should take about 5 minutes). Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the quick cook barley. Raise the heat, bring the soup back to a simmer (will only take 1-2 minutes). Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes or until the barley is tender. Stir occasionally and keep the liquid simmering; lower or raise the heat as needed.
- Taste the finished turkey barley soup and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with a couple of lime wedges on the side, if desired.
Notes
- Use reduced sodium broth if you are sensitive to salt.
- If you are using regular pearly barley instead of quick cook barley, then cook it to package directions before adding it to the soup.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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