Recipe for turkey barley soup
Even if you weren't just about to have a motherlode of leftover turkey, I'd want you to try this soup. I always have barley in my pantry, and as much as I love it, I don't use it as often as I should. Barley's chewy texture and nutty flavor also come with nutritional benefits: with almost four times the dietary fiber of oatmeal, barley promotes regularity, lowers cholesterol, and keeps everything moving smoothly. Barley soups thicken naturally, from the starch released into the liquid, so refrigerated leftovers sometimes need a bit of added water or stock. You can make the basic soup ahead and freeze it, and add some cooked turkey when you reheat. Why not make a batch today? You'll be all ready for those leftovers.
Turkey barley soup
Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1/2 cup pearl barley, washed
4 cups chicken stock (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
2 cups beef stock (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
1 small onion, chopped
2 small ribs celery, chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms, any kind or a combination
2 cups chopped or shredded leftover cooked turkey
Soy sauce, to taste (if using store-bought stock, you might not need the extra saltiness from the soy sauce)
1/2 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
Directions
In a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot, bring first 5 ingredients to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add remaining ingredients, and simmer, covered, until carrots are tender (30-40 minutes). Season with additional black pepper, to taste.
This is one of my all-time favorite soups!
Oh yum! I've got everything on hand for this and it's begging to be made. Perfect for our shivery, cold weather.