By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 1 hour 10 minutes
- Rating
- 5(357)
- Notes
- Read community notes
A comforting soup with texture and bulk provided by barley. Parmesan rinds, simmered here in the same way that a ham bone might be used in France or Italy, contribute great depth of flavor to this wonderful, comforting soup. I love the added texture and bulk provided by the barley.
Featured in: Cabbage and Parmesan Soup With Barley
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves 6
- 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1medium onion, chopped
- 1medium head cabbage, cored and shredded (7 to 8 cups)
- 2garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- Salt to taste
- 1large Yukon gold or ½ russet potato (about 6 ounces), peeled and diced
- 6cups water, chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2large Parmesan rinds (2 to 3 ounces)
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1cup cooked barley
- Chopped fresh dill, chives or parsley for garnish
- Freshly grated Parmesan for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
158 calories; 6 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 1018 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot. Add onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add shredded cabbage, garlic, and about ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the cabbage begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the potato, the water or stock, the Parmesan rinds, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Remove and discard the Parmesan rinds.
Step
2
Using an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender coarsely purée the soup. If using a regular blender fill it only halfway and pull a dishtowel over the top rather than covering tightly with the lid. Return to the pot and stir in the barley, or place a spoonful of barley in each bowl. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings, and heat through. Serve, garnishing each bowl with a sprinkling of minced dill, chives or parsley, and a spoonful of grated Parmesan.
Tip
- You can make this a day ahead. Whisk well when you reheat. The barley will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.
Ratings
5
out of 5
357
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Cooking Notes
betts
Finally made this after languishing for ages in my file. I cooked the barley, cabbage, onion and potato with the skin on and chicken stock in the pressure cooker for 12 min. Removed the Parmesan rinds and used the immersion blender to purée. Tho soup needs plenty of salt and pepper. I used dill and a little lemon juice and a dash of nutmeg to finish but I’m intrigued by the idea of caraway for a Eastern Europe twist. In the end it is very reminiscent of vichyssoise
cooking in jersey city
This was a delightful winter soup. I am someone who always goes extra with the ingredients to step up the flavor. I used about eight smashed garlic cloves, three Parmesan rinds, and boiled it with a bunch of dill stems that I remove before blending. I took another reviewer’s suggestion, and added toasted, lightly smashed caraway seeds in the end along with a splash of fresh lemon juice. Topped it off with Parmesan, chopped dill and garlic chives. These last additions make all the difference!
Amy
It isn't pretty but it's just what I wanted the soup to taste like! I froze 1/2 and finished it off recently. it came through again, warm and comforting. Pepper is really important
Sharon
I loved this. It has a subtle rich flavor. I cooked the potatoes with their skins on which I think added something.. I also cooked about a half cup of uncooked pearled barley- perhaps a bit more than the 1/3 cup that would make a cup. It made a thicker soup. When it is pureed it makes a very rich soup that seems like it has cream in it. My husband loved it.
I also used chicken stock. A very filling soup for the low calorie count. Will make it again.
Jennie
This combination of ingredients is such a winner, but I found the idea of pureeing the soup and adding barley weird. Instead, I cooked the grains along with the potatoes in my cheesy turkey broth, and didn't puree the soup at all. I did add caraway (de rigueur in cabbage soup!) with the onion at the beginning, and the finished soup is absolutely delicious. The vegetables give you something to chew on, which makes it feel hearty, even though it's quite light (3 Weight Watchers point/svg).
London cooker
Really loved this light healthy soup. Agree that garnishes make all the difference. Added globs of goat cheese and it added a fabulous creamy tang!
Yum!
Easy and delicious. If you don’t have a good quality stick blender then go get one! Worth every penny. I love this soup even without the barley. Perfect for fall.
Edward Germany
Great soup. It does need some acid at the end from lemon juice or white wine vinegar. I topped it off with a St Agur blue cheese which was fantastic.
Lindsay
I dont understand the 5 star review of this soup and I truly love cabbage I've made another parmesan cabbage soup from here by melissa Clark and it's divine. This one was just so bland. I can see the others rating this highly have modified the recipe by adding all sorts of additional flavours honestly it needs something. Would definitely not make this again. Also the addition of the whole barley is strange after I pureeing. It probably would be better not blended.
JGP
1 important more thing! We did not purée this soup - and we left the (cut up) Parmesan rinds in.
Heathet
I didn’t blend it - excellent soup.
JGP
We simply can’t believe how deeply comforting and delicious this soup is! It tastes amazingly like a vegetarian French Onion Soup - but with different ingredients. A couple of small-but-important changes:- a large sprig of fresh sage- a couple of fresh thyme sprigs - no caraway Also! We didn’t want to finish our recipe so “extended” it by adding a readymade container of potato leek soup. The deep and comforting flavor was not at all lost. Powerful medicine, this soup!
Sara Grace
I subbed barley with buckwheat. Yum. My version was almost too spicy with black pepper, it really bloomed as it cooked. But wow, what a great, flavorful comfort soup.
Dee
I would make Parmesan broth with the rinds first and then make the soup.
For Next Timw
Less salt, milder veggie stock/broth, maybe even just water, would be good with fennel and/or leek in it. Add some cabbage chunks for texture. Good with brown rice, sausage could be good protein
Maggie
Thanks to the people who leave notes! It needed a little lemon juice, some dried dill, and some ground caraway seeds at the end. Made all the difference (along with some salt and pepper.) It's possible that sour cream or yogurt would have been a good addition. I like thicker soups so I added 3 cups of cooked barley. I don't think it was too much.
Suzy
Cooked as per the recipe but fried some chorizo with the onions and left out the herbs at the end. Before blending the soup I fished out the chorizo and added it to the finished soup. Will definitely make again.
JG
Made this with homemade bone broth from smoked ribs so it had a deep smokey flavor. Also used more garlic and added some heat. I used cooked al dente freekeh. Delic!
Victoria
Added abt. 1 tsp caraway seeds at end of onions. No barley, extra potato flakes to thicken at end. Cooked in instant pot, sauté then 15min high pressure.
Sean
I did as others noted, to save time, and added the barley along with the broth- big mistake! Next time I'll toast it first and cook it separately. The result was a gluey soup, only salvaged by added red onion for crunch, and lemon for contrast. It was okay, but definitely not in my go-to list.
London cooker
Really loved this light healthy soup. Agree that garnishes make all the difference. Added globs of goat cheese and it added a fabulous creamy tang!
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