This is a one-pot, vegetarian pearl barley soup recipe. It is a healthy, low-calorie soup packed with vegetables. Be sure to watch the video!
- About Barley
- Pearl Barley Soup Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Watch Barley Soup Video
- Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe
About Barley
Barley is one of the oldest-grown grains worldwide. It is a plant-based ingredient used in various cuisines to make bread, flour, soup, salad, and stew or as a source of malt to make beer or alcoholic beverages.
It has a nutty taste and a chewy texture.
Barley has become so popular worldwide because of its health benefits.
- it is high in fibre,
- it is a fantastic vegan ingredient
- a wholesome alternative to rice and pasta
- aids in weight loss and improves digestion
- helps in reducing cholesterol and blood sugar levels
However, whole-grain, hulled barley is more nutritious than refined, pearled barley. For this soup recipe, we use pearled barley because it absorbs the flavour nicely, cooks quickly, have a less nutty taste and has a soft texture.
Pearl Barley Soup Recipe
Pearl Barley Soup is a wholesome, comforting meal in itself. What makes it so delicious is the variety of vegetables and the stock.
The barley absorbs all the soup’s flavour and simultaneously increases its nutritional value and makes it fulfilling.
Barley Soup takes 30 minutes in an instant pot . But you can make it in a saucepan as well.
Recipe Highlights
- nut-free
- meal prep friendly
- easy one-pot meal
- ready in 30 minutes
- vegan and vegetarian
- healthy and wholesome
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Barley: Use pearl barley for this soup recipe, not whole barley grain or hulled barley, which takes a long time to cook. Pearl barley is without hull, and the bran, resulting in a pale white grain, cooks faster and is less chewy.
- Vegetables: Carrot, Green Peas , Mushroom, Onion, Zucchini
- Flavouring Agents: Garlic, Celery, Thyme, Coriander Stalks, Bay Leaf
- Stock: Either use vegetable stock , broth, or stock cube. Plain water would not give depth of flavour to the soup. If you use a stock cube, pick a quality one without MSG ( Monosodium glutamate ) and animal products. Most of the stock cubes come with a lot of preservatives and MSG. Hence, they are not fit for daily consumption.
- Other Ingredients: Extra Light Olive Oil, Oregano, Salt, Black Pepper, Coriander and Celery Leaves
Watch Barley Soup Video
Serving and Storage Suggestions
Vegetable Barley Soup is a wholesome, fulfilling meal in itself. You can serve it with a toasted bread slice. It’s full of nourishing vegetables with enough starch to give you energy and keep you full until your next meal.
Like pasta or noodles, barley absorbs liquid when left overnight or for a few hours. It will become softer than ideal and thicken the soup’s consistency.
So while storing the leftover barley soup, add extra stock or broth. So that while reheating, you have enough liquid in the soup.
More Soup Recipes
- Green Peas Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Creamy Corn Soup
- Mulligatawny Soup
- Almond Broccoli Soup
- Thai Green Curry Soup
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Tomato Couscous Soup
Ingredients
- ▢ ⅓ Cup Pearl Barley
- ▢ 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- ▢ ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- ▢ 1 inch celery stalk, finely chopped
- ▢ 5 – 6 coriander stalks, finely chopped
- ▢ 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ▢ 1 small size onion, finely chopped
- ▢ 4 – 5 button mushrooms, chopped
- ▢ ¼ Cup chopped carrot
- ▢ ¼ Cup chopped zucchini
- ▢ ¼ Cup green peas (fresh or frozen )
- ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
- ▢ 4 Cup vegetable stock ( get recipe )
- ▢ 1 Cup baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Rinse the barley in a colander under tap water, then leave it for a few minutes to drain before using.
- Set the SAUTE mode of your instant pot for 6 minutes. Or heat oil in a stovetop pressure cooker.
- Add olive oil to the inner pot. Add garlic, celery, coriander stalks, thyme, bay leaf, and onion. Saute them for 20 – 30 seconds to release the aroma of herbs and infuse their flavour into the oil.
- Add carrot, zucchini, mushroom, green peas, and pearl barley. Saute for 1 minute.
- Add oregano, salt, pepper, stock cube, and water. Stir to combine. Cancel the SAUTE mode. Close the lid of the instant pot.
- PRESSURE COOK barley soup for 20 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally, or you can do a Quick Release manually. In a stovetop pressure cooker, it requires two whistles over low heat.
- Add fresh greens like cilantro, basil, or celery leaves. Stir to combine. Taste and, if required add more seasoning.
- Serve vegetable barley soup warm.
Recipe Notes:
- You can make barley soup on a stovetop saucepan. It takes 30 – 35 minutes over low heat. Use the stovetop pressure cooker.
- From a variety of mushrooms, green beans, potato, squash, cabbage, or spinach, you can add easy-to-cook vegetables in this soup.
- When it comes to fresh green herbs, you can add Italian basil, parsley, cilantro, celery, or any other aromatic herbs of choice.
- Barley absorbs liquid while cooking, hence add the stock accordingly.
Nutrition
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Vegetable Barley Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- ⅓ Cup Pearl Barley
- 1 tablespoon light olive oil
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 inch celery stalk, finely chopped
- 5 - 6 coriander stalks, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small size onion, finely chopped
- 4 - 5 button mushrooms, chopped
- ¼ Cup chopped carrot
- ¼ Cup chopped zucchini
- ¼ Cup green peas (fresh or frozen )
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 Cup vegetable stock ( get recipe )
- 1 Cup baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Rinse the barley in a colander under tap water, then leave it for a few minutes to drain before using.
- Set the SAUTE mode of your instant pot for 6 minutes. Or heat oil in a stovetop pressure cooker.
- Add olive oil to the inner pot. Add garlic, celery, coriander stalks, thyme, bay leaf, and onion. Saute them for 20 - 30 seconds to release the aroma of herbs and infuse their flavour into the oil.
- Add carrot, zucchini, mushroom, green peas, and pearl barley. Saute for 1 minute.
- Add oregano, salt, pepper, stock cube, and water. Stir to combine. Cancel the SAUTE mode. Close the lid of the instant pot.
- PRESSURE COOK barley soup for 20 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally, or you can do a Quick Release manually. In a stovetop pressure cooker, it requires two whistles over low heat.
- Add fresh greens like cilantro, basil, or celery leaves. Stir to combine. Taste and, if required add more seasoning.
- Serve vegetable barley soup warm.
Video
Notes
- You can make barley soup on a stovetop saucepan. It takes 30 - 35 minutes over low heat. Use the stovetop pressure cooker.
- From a variety of mushrooms, green beans, potato, squash, cabbage, or spinach, you can add easy-to-cook vegetables in this soup.
- When it comes to fresh green herbs, you can add Italian basil, parsley, cilantro, celery, or any other aromatic herbs of choice.
- Barley absorbs liquid while cooking, hence add the stock accordingly.
Nutrition
This vegetarian lauki kofta recipe will completely change your mind about bottle gourd and make you fall in love with it.
- What is Lauki Kofta?
- Ingredients Required For Kofta
- How To Make Lauki Kofta
- Ingredients Required For Curry
- How To Make Curry
- My Tried and True Tips
- Lauki Kofta Curry Recipe
What is Lauki Kofta?
Lauki is the Hindi term for bottle gourd. It is also known as doodhi or ghiya in many regions of Northern India. Bottle Gourd is a thick, fleshy vegetable vine that grows in tropical countries. It belongs to the squash family.
In India, it is creatively used to make a variety of sabzi , kofta, mithai, or kheer .
Lauki Kofta is a vegetarian, gluten-free, fried fritter (kofta) made with a grated bottle gourd. At the same time, the curry is made with a simple tomato and onion masala. Lauki Kofta Curry is an easy and less indulgent alternative for rich and creamy paneer kofta curry .
It is a perfect curry for everyday Indian meal when you need something comforting with fewer calories and fuss.
Ingredients Required For Kofta
- Bottle Gourd: A sign of a healthy, young gourd is pale green, smooth skin that is quite firm and blemish-free.
- Gram Flour: It helps in binding the fritters (kofta). If you prefer, add a tablespoon of corn starch or rice flour.
- Seasoning: Salt, Red Chili Powder, Ginger Garlic Paste , Turmeric Powder, Carom Seeds, Cumin Powder
- Other Ingredients: Finely chopped green chilli and onion
How To Make Lauki Kofta
Step 1) Remove the bottle gourd’s outer skin and white seeds/flesh.
Step 2) Grate the bottle gourd using a food processor or manual grater with bigger holes. Season grated bottle gourd with salt, mix nicely, cover and set aside for 10 minutes for squash to release all the water ( images 1 & 2 ).
Step 3) Squeeze out all the excess water from the grated bottle gourd. I use a muslin cloth to tie the grated bottle gourd and squeeze out all the water ( images 3 & 4 ).
Step 4) Transfer bottle gourd to a bowl add gram flour, onion, chili, salt, and spices. Combine well to form a thick batter for the koftas. Do not add water.
Step 5) Heat oil in a deep-frying pan over medium flame. Take a spoonful of kofta mixture and shape it into a small ball. Gently and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Similarly, shape and slide all the kofta into the hot oil. Fry over low to medium heat till crisp, golden, and cooked from inside.
Transfer fried kofta to an oil absorbent paper and set aside while you prepare the curry.
Ingredients Required For Curry
- Onion Paste: Blend two onions using ⅛ cup of water to a fine paste in a blender.
- Tomato Paste: Blend two chopped tomatoes to a fine paste.
- Oil : I use flavourless refined oil to fry kofta and to make curry. You can use mustard oil, ghee, or vegetable oil.
- Spices: Bay Leaf, Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala , Kasuri Methi
- Other Ingredients: Salt, Water, Ginger Garlic Paste, and Fresh Coriander
How To Make Curry
Step 1) To prepare the kofta curry, heat the oil in a kadhai over medium heat. Add bay leaf and onion paste. Fry the masala over low heat till it becomes light brown.
Step 2) Add ginger garlic paste, tomato paste, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and mix nicely. Saute the masala over medium heat till oil separates or starts oozing from the sides of the masala. This might take 8 – 10 minutes.
Step 3) Add water to make the curry, kasuri methi, and garam masala. Stir to combine. Bring kofta curry to a boil. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes or until the curry thickens. At this stage, you can add cream. Mix it nicely and cook.
Step 4) Once you are ready to serve the curry, add the koftas to the curry and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes over low heat.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
My Tried and True Tips
- Make sure to squeeze out all the liquid from the grated bottle gourd before making kofta else, they will not hold shape.
- Always fry kofta over low-medium heat so it is fully cooked from the inside and perfectly brown from the outside.
- Allow the kofta to cool down a bit before adding in the gravy.
- Add the kofta to the gravy and simmer the curry for 5 – 10 minutes over low heat. The heat will help kofta absorb the curry’s flavour and become even more delicious.
- You can add a cooking cream or milk to make the curry richer and creamier.
Serving Suggestion
Lauki Kofta Curry is a vegetarian Indian main course dish from North India. Serve it with chapati, paratha, jeera rice , or plain basmati rice for lunch or dinner.
For a complete Indian thali meal, serve kofta curry with side dishes like mint raita , shahi dal , chapati, and kachumber salad .
More Indian Curry Recipes
- Paneer Curry
- Veg Keema Curry
- Soya Chaap Curry
- Dahi Potato Curry
- Shahi Soya Curry
- Chana Saag Curry
- Lobia Masala Curry
Ingredients
Ingredients For Kofta:
- ▢ 2 Cup grated bottle gourd
- ▢ ¼ Cup gram flour (besan)
- ▢ ¼ Cup finely chopped onion
- ▢ 2 green chili chopped
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste ( get recipe )
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- ▢ 1 Cup refined oil for deep frying
Ingredients For Curry:
- ▢ 4 tablespoon refined oil
- ▢ 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
- ▢ 2 medium size onion
- ▢ 2 medium size tomato
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ▢ 1 ¼ Cup water
- ▢ 2 tablespoon fresh cream
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Garam Masala (get recipe here )
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- ▢ 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
How To Make Kofta:
- To prepare the lauki kofta, remove the bottle gourd’s outer skin and white seeds/flesh. Grate the bottle gourd using a food processor or manual grater with bigger holes.
- Season grated bottle gourd with salt, mix nicely, cover and set aside for 10 minutes for squash to release all the water. Squeeze out all the excess water from the grated bottle gourd. I use a muslin cloth to tie the grated bottle gourd and squeeze out all the water.
- Transfer bottle gourd to a bowl add gram flour, onion, chili, salt, and spices. Combine well to form a thick batter for the koftas. Do not add water.
- Heat oil in a deep-frying pan over medium flame. Take a spoonful of kofta mixture and shape it into a small ball. Gently and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Similarly, shape and slide all the kofta into the hot oil. Fry over low to medium heat till crisp, golden, and cooked from inside. Transfer to an oil absorbent paper and set aside while you prepare the curry.
How To Make Curry:
- Blend two onions using ⅛ cup of water to a fine paste in a blender. Transfer to a bowl. Similarly, blend two chopped tomatoes to a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl and keep them aside.
- To prepare the kofta curry, heat the oil in a kadhai over medium flame. Add bay leaf and onion paste. Fry the masala over low heat till it becomes light brown.
- Add ginger garlic paste, tomato paste, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and mix nicely. Saute the masala over medium heat till oil separates or starts oozing from the sides of the masala. This might take 8 – 10 minutes.
- Add water to make the curry, kasuri methi, and garam masala. Stir to combine. Bring kofta curry to a boil. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes or until the curry thickens. At this stage, you can add cream. Mix it nicely and cook.
- Once you are ready to serve the curry, add the koftas to the curry and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes over low heat.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve Lauki Kofta Curry warm along with chapati or steamed rice.
Recipe Notes:
- If you are making a vegan version, use cashew cream/paste to make the curry rich and thick.
- Instead of deep frying, you can air fry lauki kofta or cook them in an appe pan (paniyaram pan).
- If bottle gourd is not available, use zucchini to make the kofta. It tastes equally delicious.
Nutrition
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