This turkey barley soup is a comforting, satisfying way to use leftover turkey. Made with a combination of pantry staples and fresh vegetables, it's an easy, flavorful soup that works well for a simple weeknight dinner.
Ingredients you'll need
- 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.
How to make turkey barley soup
- 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 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.
Recipe Tips and Notes
Enhancing store-bought broth: Sautéing onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and spices before adding chicken broth helps build flavor and gives the soup a more homemade taste.
Quick-cooking barley: This recipe uses quick-cooking barley, which cooks in about 10-15 minutes. It has been steamed and dried, so it takes less time than traditional barley.
Using leftovers: This soup is a great way to put leftover turkey to good use and turn it into a hearty, wholesome meal.
Storing instructions
Store leftovers 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.
To get the most out of your food dollar, don't just eat leftovers, turn them into something new. If you enjoy turkey soups, try our turkey rice soup or turkey noodle soup for more easy, comforting meals. And if you have leftover barley, our beef barley soup is another hearty option worth making.
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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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