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Meat, Italy

Tyrolean barley soup with speck

Tyrolean barley soup with speck is a simmered dish for 4 people, ready in 65 minutes, rated easy, at €2.20 per person. It combines pearl barley, root vegetables and smoky speck cubes in a thick broth. The key to success is rinsing the barley before cooking and letting it simmer long enough to turn fully tender.

A thick soup straight from the Tyrolean mountains, with pearl barley, root vegetables and smoky speck, the kind that keeps you warm and full.

Tyrolean barley soup with speck
Total time
1 h 05
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.20
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

This soup comes straight from the Tyrolean mountains, where you need something hearty after a day outdoors. Pearl barley swells in the broth and creates a thick, almost creamy texture without a drop of cream. Smoky speck brings fat and bold flavor, while the root vegetables soften slowly over the forty minutes of simmering.

This is a winter weeknight soup, the kind you make on a Sunday afternoon to have all week long. It works for a simple family dinner or for casual guests, served with just a slice of country bread on the side. Mon Chou suggests it as soon as the first cold days of fall arrive, when you want something warming that doesn't take much effort to put together.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Pearl barleyoften in the pantry 150 g
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 1.5 L
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Speck 120 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 2
  • Leeks 2
  • Celeriac 150 g
  • Potatoes 2
  • Onion 1
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

Bakery

  • Country bread 4 slices

Dairy

  • Butter 20 g

Allergens Gluten, Celery

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the speck into small cubes and brown it in a Dutch oven with the butter.

    The fat from the speck is enough to start the vegetables, no need for extra oil.

  2. Add the onion, carrots, leeks, celeriac and potatoes, all cut into small cubes. 5 min

    Cut everything into even 5 mm cubes so it all cooks at the same rate.

  3. Pour in the rinsed pearl barley and the broth, bring to a boil then lower the heat.

    Skim the surface for the first few minutes for a cleaner soup.

  4. Let it simmer covered until the barley is tender. 40 min

    Add a bit of hot water if the soup gets too thick, the barley swells a lot.

  5. Adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with the country bread.

    A pat of butter in the serving ladle rounds out the whole broth.

Our tips to get it right

  • Brown the speck over medium heat without rushing it, it should render its fat before coloring, otherwise it turns tough as it cooks.
  • Cut the celeriac into very small cubes, it's the slowest vegetable to soften in this soup.
  • Taste before adding salt, the speck and chicken broth already bring plenty of salt on their own.

The variations

  • Swap the speck for regular smoked bacon lardons if you can't find any, the flavor will be slightly milder but the texture stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the speck, add a bit of smoked paprika and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • For a faster version, replace the pearl barley with quick cooking barley or small pasta shapes, cutting the cooking time to fifteen minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Toasted country bread
  • A simple green salad
  • A warm glass of apple juice

Storage

This soup keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, it thickens as it cools so add a splash of water or broth when reheating. It freezes well for up to 2 months, it's best to freeze it before adding the fresh parsley. Reheat over low heat, stirring regularly so it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace pearl barley with another grain?

Yes, round rice or small pasta shapes work well instead of barley, but cut the cooking time to 15 or 20 minutes. The texture will be a bit less rustic.

Do you really need to rinse pearl barley before cooking it?

Yes, rinsing it well under cold water removes surface starch. The soup stays clearer and less sticky by the end of cooking.

Can this soup be made ahead of time?

It's actually recommended, it tastes better the next day once the flavors have had time to blend. Just add a bit more liquid when reheating.

Is celeriac essential to this recipe?

It adds a distinct flavor, but you can swap it for a small amount of celery stalk instead. Just double check the allergen on your shopping list.

How long does it take to make a Tyrolean barley soup with speck and country bread?

Count 1 h 05 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Tyrolean barley soup with speck and country bread?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Tyrolean barley soup with speck and country bread cost?

About €2.20 per serving, or €8.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, celery. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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