This turkey barley soup is hearty, filling, and full of flavor! Soups (especially chili-style soups) are one of my favorite comfort foods for chilly nights, and the combination of turkey, barley, and tons of veggies makes this the perfect meal for when I’m craving something cozy but not too heavy.
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Barley Chili with Ground Turkey
The barley is my favorite addition in this chili. The chewy texture is super hearty and satisfying, and adding a whole grain to the soup makes it filling and high in fiber.
I also love all the veggies packed into this chili, making it colorful and full of nutrients! All together, it’s a well rounded and healthy meal that definitely keeps you full and warms you up, but doesn’t leave you weighed down.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this turkey barley soup, you’ll need:
- ground turkey
- pearl barley
- zucchini
- mushrooms
- kidney beans
- bell pepper
- onion
- diced tomatoes
- tomato sauce
- garlic
- vegetable broth
- chili powder
- cumin
You can also swap out the veggies for other vegetables you have on hand!
Here’s another soup with barley you might enjoy: Instant Pot beef and barley soup.
What is pearl barley?
Pearl barley is the most common type of barley used for cooking. Essentially, this type of barley has had its fibrous outer shell and bran layer removed. Because of this, it takes less time to cook than ‘unprocessed’ barley.
If you don’t have barley, you can use farro or brown rice instead. Just make sure to follow the directions on the package for how long to cook it before adding it to this soup!
How to Make Turkey Barley Chili
This chili is super easy to make, too! Start by cooking the barley. Since it takes a little while to get tender, you can prep the remaining ingredients while it’s cooking.
Then, saute the veggies and turkey until the turkey is no longer pink and the veggies are soft. Pour in the canned tomatoes and spices, and stir in the cooked barley. Allow to simmer until everything is heated through, then serve!
It’s perfect on its own, or top with sour cream/plain Greek yogurt, cheese, and/or green onions. It’s also amazing served with a hunk of crusty bread.
You’ll definitely want to get some tupperware containers ready for leftovers, too. This recipe makes a ton of soup, but I think it tastes even better heated up the next day. Gotta love looking forward to leftovers!
You’ll find the full turkey barley soup recipe at the bottom of this post. Hope you enjoy!
Looking for more awesome chili and soup recipes? Here are some of my favorites!
- Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
- Chicken & White Bean Chili Soup
- Butternut Squash Turkey Chili
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Raspberry Chipotle Black Bean chili
- Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Stew
Turkey Barley Chili
This turkey barley soup is hearty, filling, and full of flavor! It's a comforting and hearty meal that's perfect for cold weather.
Ingredients:
- 1 32-oz container low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup pearled barley
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, diced
- 2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
- 1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
Instructions:
- Combine vegetable broth and barley in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until barley is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
- While barley is cooking, chop all veggies and prep remaining ingredients.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or saute pan with tall edges. Add ground turkey, garlic, onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms. Saute until turkey is fully cooked and veggies are tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pan, along with the barley and any remaining broth once it's tender.
- Stir all ingredients together and cook until heated through.
