READY IN 1¼ hrs

White Bean, Spinach, and Barley Stew

Read Reviews (55)

"This filling vegetarian stew is great year-round. Serve with a dry Chardonnay and crusty bread." — SpicyBoston

Directions

Bring the barley and water to a boil in a pot. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, or until tender.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the onion and garlic until tender. Season with rosemary. Mix the mushrooms, yellow bell pepper, and wine into the pot, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked barley, beans, tomatoes, and spinach. Season with red pepper flakes. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 1 hr
READY IN 1 hr 15 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jan 08, 2006

When I say 5 star, I mean my version...Used Portabella shrooms, extra: garlic and wine, included the tomato fluid, used 2C chicken broth and 1C water to cook the barley for 45 minutes...NOT 30!! I had garbanzo beans so used them inlieu of white beans, as well as frozen "fresh" rosemary versus dry. Then, after reading the top "10 Healthy Foods" on this site...added 1C Yogurt, MAKING it 7 OF THE 10 IN ONE RECIPE!! Also added a tub of tofu for additional 23 grams of protein (besides the 15 grams from a cup of yogurt)...Making this the super complete, healthiest soup known to man!!!

—Casey M

See full review »

Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 03, 2006

I wasn't too crazy about this dish. It certainly wasn't a stew. It was basically a meal. I did cook the barley in some stock to give it flavour and I also cooked it longer, as per another reviewer's suggestion. It might have been better if the dish was served over the barley instead of mixed in. I served it with a nice crusty bread. Though my husband I ate it and was ok, the kids weren't crazy about it (and they usually do like beans and grains and such). I won't be making it again. It's too bad...it seemed promising...

—Ani

See full review »

72 Ratings

See other versions of this recipe!

May 12, 2005

I'm not exactly sure this recipe should be in the Soup collection; however, I very much like the flavor and textures. It is a very dry, thick stew - I ate it with a fork - but I don't know that I'd want more liquid in it. If you like these ingredients, you will most definitely like this recipe! (Note: I did spice it up a bit with jalapeno slices and Tabasco sauce.)

—MOTTSBELA

See full review »

Mar 23, 2006

I thought this was one of the best stews I have made yet this season. I used four cups of vegetable broth instead of water to give it extra flavor. Yum!

—heather

See full review »

Feb 28, 2007

This was very tasty, but as others have mentioned it was really almost too thick and needed some seasoning help. I added some vegetable stock to thin it out a bit and added some cajun type seasonings, more garlic and some more spinach to this. I tasted it right after I made it and really wasn't that impressed, but I let it sit in the fridge overnight and then WOW. Really much better!

—LindaT

See full review »

Dec 15, 2009

Not bad, not spectacular. This recipe is like an empty canvas, just waiting to be painted. there are so many ways to go. Italian - add oregano and sausage. Spanish - more tomatoes and chilies. Indian - potatoes, peas and curry. Definately use broth, not water. Use this beginning to create your own masterpiece!

—Chris K

See full review »

Aug 09, 2005

Pretty good soup. On recommendation of others, I used broth and water. I also used less barley so it wouldn't get as thick. Near the end of cooking, it was still really thick so I added a couple more cups of water. After salt & peppering it up it was pretty good. I've been craving something healthy like this and it hit the spot. While we ate, I left this on the stove on low for another 30 minutes or so and it got better the longer it cooked. So, if you have the time I'd recommend simmering on low for 30-40 minutes instead of 10 min. I will make this again.

—ANGI_NAGEL

See full review »

Apr 14, 2009

I thought this was fantastic...with some modifications. The barley definitely needs to cook for 45 minutes. I added extra garlic and wine, oregano, basil, more red pepper and a dash of cajun seasoning. I also added a lot of chicken broth to make it more soup like. This was a big hit with the friends I had over.

—Michelle

See full review »

Edit

Glad you liked it! Your friends will, too:

Did you tweak the recipe? Edit and save your own version of it!

Edit this recipe

More Recipes Like This See all

Beef, Bean and Barley Stew

Spinach and Leek White Bean Soup

Mushroom Lentil Barley Stew

Parsley Spinach Chicken Stew

Spinach Lentil Soup

Kielbasa Kale Stew

Shrimp and White Bean Salad

Garlicky Quinoa and Garbanzo Bean Salad

Savory Kale, Cannellini Bean, and Potato Soup

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Nutrition

Calories
256 kcal
13%

Carbohydrates
51.3 g
17%

Cholesterol
0 mg
0%

Fat
1.7 g
3%

Fiber
9 g
36%

Protein
9.4 g
19%

Sodium
124 mg
5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

White Bean, Spinach, and Barley Stew

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
** Calories: 256
** Calories from Fat: 15

% Daily Value *
** Total Fat 1.7g 3 %
** Saturated Fat 0.3g 2 %
** Cholesterol 0mg 0 %
** Sodium 124mg 5 %
** Potassium 704mg 20 %
** Total Carbohydrates 51.3g 17 %
** Dietary Fiber 9g 36 %
** Protein 9.4g 19 %
** Sugars 4.3g
** Vitamin A 33 %
** Vitamin C 94 %
** Calcium 14 %
** Iron 56 %
** Thiamin 19 %
** Niacin 37 %
** Vitamin B6 19 %
** Magnesium 27 %
** Folate 54 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.