Spring Vegetable and Barley Soup with Pesto

Serves 4 to 6

Nutrition per serving (if serving 4)– calories: 226, fat: 11g (saturated fat: 2g), carbohydrates: 23g, protein: 8g, fiber: 10g, sugar: 9g, sodium: 413mg

Feel free to customize this soup. You can swap out broccoli for the asparagus, baby spinach, and swiss chard. Farro would make a great alternative to barley. The recipe calls for a combination of chicken broth and water. If you want to use all water or swap out vegetable broth for chicken broth, you can. However, we love the bright green color of the soup, and most vegetable broths are pretty dark, and the soup loses some of its vibrancy. 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving

• 1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ½ inch thick, and washed thoroughly

• 1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into ½ inch pieces 

• 1 teaspoon kosher table salt  

• 1 bay leaf

• 4 cups water

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth  

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

• ½ cup pearl barley 

• 1 Parmesan or Pecorino cheese rind

• 6 ounces zucchini, cut into ½ inch dice 

• 6 ounces asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces  (1 ½ cups) 

• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

• 5 ounces baby kale

• 2 - 4 tablespoons pesto (recipe below) or store-bought pesto and grated Parmesan for serving

• Freshly ground black pepper 
  

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add leek, fennel, salt, garlic cloves, thyme, and bay leaves, and salt and stir to combine. Cover and cook, occasionally stirring, until softened, 6-8 minutes. 

Stir in water, broth, barley, and Parmesan rind and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer gently until the barley is plump and tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in zucchini, asparagus, peas and kale and simmer until barley and vegetables are tender, about 10. Off heat, discard parmesan rind, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Stir in pesto and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle individual portions with extra oil before serving.