Turkey & Barley Soup
why is it so good?! SO GOOD.
I was cleaning out my freezer this weekend and came across some turkey I had stashed back in the fall— the remains of my two thanksgiving Toms, mostly dark meat— not really my forte, if I’m honest. Dark turkey meat has such a unique flavor that I find it doesn’t quite lend itself as a perfect substitute for chicken.
But then I thought, what if we’re not trying to substitute for chicken? What if the turkey gets to be the star of the show? I looked up some recipes for turkey and got inspired by a gorgeous photo of turkey & barley soup from the NYT. (Sometimes it just takes a really good picture to get me excited about cooking!) I didn’t follow the recipe, just riffed off of what I had around— and not only does it work, the turkey makes it really shine.
This recipe is similar to our beef & barley soup, of course—the fundamental ingredients (meat, barley, veg) haven’t changed much— but instead of Worchestershire sauce and tomato paste, we’ll be making a lighter, sweeter broth with white wine and lemon juice that totally transforms the soup.
Honestly, I couldn’t believe how good it was. My kid, who informed me last week that he “needed a break from soup,” ate 2.5 bowls. We’re smitten.
If you don’t have any leftover turkey, you can use a mix of light and dark meat from a rotisserie chicken, or to make it even easier, a pound of ground turkey (with a bit more butter to amp up the flavor.)
A warning: barley takes a while (40-50 minutes) to cook, and there is a good bit of chopping beforehand to get this soup going, so make sure to plan for that (it took me about an hour and a half.) That being said, once the barley has been added, you’ll be able to step away for at least 45 minutes while it simmers.
Turkey & Barley Soup
Cook time: 60-90 minutes
Serves: 8-10
For Dietary Restrictions
Gluten free: use brown rice or potatoes instead of barley
Dairy free: this recipe is dairy-free
Kids Can Help
measure spices and barley, peel onion and carrots, add the frozen vegetables
Ingredients
3-4 cups of turkey meat (dark, light, or a mix), or 1 lb ground turkey
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 celery ribs
3 carrots
1 white or yellow onion
½ tsp ground thyme
½ tsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf
¾ cup dry table white wine, like Pinot grigio
9 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (or use 9 cups of water + 2 Tbsp vegetable or chicken bouillon paste, like Better Than Bouillon)
1 cup pearl barley
1 12 oz bag frozen corn
1 tsp salt, or more to taste
1 lemon (for 2 Tbsp lemon juice)
Fresh parsley (optional, but wonderful)
Tools
Large soup pot
Tea kettle or second large pot for boiling water
Large cutting board
Chef knife
Wooden spoon or spatula
Directions
Step 1
Bring 9 cups of water to a boil. (If you are using pre-made stock, skip this). Meanwhile, peel and dice the carrots, onion, and celery.
Step 2
In a large soup pot, heat 1 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, and celery and sprinkle with ½ tsp each of salt, ground thyme, and garlic powder. Cook on medium-low for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften, stirring occasionally.
Step 3
While the vegetables are cooking, dice the turkey, then add it to the pot with a bay leaf, ½ tsp of salt, ¾ cup white wine, and the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter. (If using ground turkey, scoot the vegetables aside and add the turkey alone, allowing it to brown while you break it into pieces; once it’s fully cooked, add the bay leaf, salt, wine, and butter.) Simmer until the wine has reduced, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
Add 9 cups of water and 2 Tbsp bouillon paste to the pot. Bring the broth to a simmer and taste; add more bouillon paste if desired, then add 1 cup of barley. Cover and cook on low for 45-50 minutes until the barley is tender.
Step 5
Juice the lemon and add the juice (about 2 Tbsp) and the bag of frozen corn and bring the soup to a boil again, then turn off the heat. Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve immediately with fresh parsley.
