Kielbasa-Barley Soup
When the beef in beef and barley soup gets replaced with kielbasa, the soup becomes speedy enough for a weeknight. Full of smoke and spice, kielbasa sausage is wonderful in stews (just look at bigos, a national dish of Poland) and its bounciness is especially fun when contrasting with chewy barley. The barley thickens the broth into something velvety, while a substantial amount of dill brightens the cozy mix. If you’d like to incorporate a green vegetable, add thinly sliced collard greens or cabbage along with the broth in Step 2.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 12ounces kielbasa, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 5garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- Salt and pepper
- 2quarts chicken broth
- 2medium carrots, parsnips or a mix, peeled if desired, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1cup pearled barley
- ⅓cup finely chopped dill
- 1teaspoon distilled white vinegar
Instructions
Step 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the kielbasa and oil over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add a few generous grinds of pepper and stir until fragrant, just a minute.Step 2
Add the broth, carrots, barley, dill and vinegar. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a boil, scrape up browned bits stuck to the pot, then reduce heat to simmer until the barley is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.