Cozy up with a nourishing bowl of lentil barley soup filled with hearty, chewy barley, protein-packed lentils, savory mushrooms, and fresh herbs. Pair with your favorite bread like toasted sourdough or soft focaccia.

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Growing up my mom was an excellent cook (well, she still is!). She made lots of amazing soups including minestrone, split pea, and lentil soups. This recipe is dedicated to her because it reminds me of her incredible soups she would make me throughout the winter.
This vegan barley lentil soup is a nourishing, hearty dish I know you will love this fall and winter season!
Looking for more cozy, delicious soups or stews? Try out these vegan soup recipes:
- Miso Dumpling Soup
- Creamy Tomato Gnocchi Soup
- Lemony Rosemary White Bean Soup
- Carrot Tomato Soup
- Savory Sage Mushroom Lentil Stew
Ingredients

Ingredient notes:
- Pearled barley: This is the most common barley you can find at the grocery store. There is also hulled or pot barley but this takes longer to cook so I recommend pearled for the best option in this soup.
- Lentils: If you didn't already know, there are lots of lentil options! Brown lentils, green lentils, yellow lentils or red lentils...oh my! The difference between them is flavor and cooking time. I recommend brown or green lentils in this soup because they have a nutty flavor that pairs well with barley. Their cooking time is similar to barley as well, making them ideal for this soup. (If you want to try red lentils, check out this delicious Red Lentil Sweet Potato Curry!)
- Diced tomatoes: Ideally, fire-roasted diced tomatoes work best in this recipe. They are smoky, slightly sweet, and add a richer flavor to the soup. You can find them in the grocery store near the other diced tomatoes. Don't worry if you can't find them- regular diced tomatoes will do.
- Vegetable broth: You can use a lower sodium vegetable broth if you prefer. Lower sodium broth has less than 140 mg of sodium per serving (a regular sodium broth can have 800 mg!)
- Other flavor additions: Fresh herbs (thyme), bay leaves, spices, and more! If you don't have fresh thyme, use a dried version instead (3 sprigs of thyme=1.5 teaspoon dried)
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Don't have barley or need a gluten-free option? Check out this list of the best substitutes for barley!
My Favorite Prodcuts
📝Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and carrots. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add in mushrooms and cook for another ~ 2 minutes until cooked down slightly.

Step 2: Add the minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and ground turmeric to the pot. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the spices become fragrant.

Step 3: Add the rinsed lentils and barley to the pot, followed by the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until the lentils and barley are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Step 4: Once the lentils and barley are cooked, remove the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice for a bright and zesty flavor.
Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley or cilantro if desired.
Tip #1: You can add in other veggies to this recipe such as diced red pepper, kale, spinach, and more!
Tip #2: Serve the soup with your favorite type of bread of crackers. I love toasted sourdough or a soft, warm piece of focaccia.
❓Recipe FAQs
Generally barley doesn't require soaking before adding it to soup.
Pearl barley is highly processed, with the outer layers removed, while hulled barley retains the bran layer and most nutrients. This leads to pearl barley being smoother and quicker to cook, while hulled barley has a chewier texture and more nutritional value.
Let the soup cool completely before storing in an airtight container (I like glass containers). Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. (This soup freezes great!)
▶︎Serve this soup with this Autumn Harvest Grain Salad (Trader Joe's Recipe)!

Pro Tips
- Rinse the lentils and barley thoroughly under cold water before using them to remove any debris or excess starch. (This helps prevent stickiness/gumminess as they cook).
- Be mindful not to overcook the lentils and barley, as they can turn mushy. Taste-test occasionally and remove from heat when they are tender but still hold their shape.
- Lentil barley soup freezes well, so consider making a larger batch and freezing portions for quick and convenient future meals.
⇨ Other Delicious Cozy Recipes ⇦
▶︎If you love barley, you will enjoy these 30+ vegan barley recipes (including breakfast, dinner, and snack recipes!)
▶︎Have some extra lentils? Try out this Lebanese lentil soup!
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Nourishing Lentil Barley Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried green or brown lentils rinsed and drained
- ½ cup pearl barley rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots diced
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves remove stems*
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted for extra flavor)
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ Juice of 1 large lemon
- Fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and carrots. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add in mushrooms and cook for another ~ 2 minutes until cooked down slightly.
- Add the minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and ground turmeric to the pot. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the spices become fragrant.
- Add the rinsed lentils and barley to the pot, followed by the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until the lentils and barley are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Once the lentils and barley are cooked, remove the bay leaves. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice for a bright and zesty flavor.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley or cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Be mindful not to overcook the lentils and barley, as they can turn mushy. Taste-test occasionally and remove from heat when they are tender but still hold their shape.
- Rinse the lentils and barley thoroughly under cold water before using them to remove any debris or excess starch. (This helps prevent stickiness/gumminess as they cook).
Betsy says
I had my sisters over for our monthly "Soups for Supper" evening and I made this Lentil Soup. We have a lot of food allergies among the group and this was an easy recipe for all to enjoy. I think my favorite veggie in it were the mushrooms. So tender and delicious!
Kayla says
I will make this but I might remove the mushrooms because I don't really eat mushrooms but either way, I'm sure it's going to taste good! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Adding it to my recipe list!
Phoebe says
I never put mushrooms in soup but these added such a great texture, it was so comforting!
Sam says
Very delicious!! Easy to make and perfect dish for our weekly rotation - thank you!!
Quinn says
Wow! This was so delicious. I added 2 different types of mushrooms to it. The flavor and seasoning was perfect.