Slow Cooker Bean and Barley Soup, from Food Network
Ingredients
* 1 cup dried multibean mix or Great Northern beans, rinsed
* 6 cups water – I sub veggie stock for extra flavor
* 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, with juice
* 3 cloves garlic, smashed
* 2 ribs celery, chopped
* 2 medium carrots, chopped
* 1/2 medium onion, chopped * 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
* 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend (or mix of parsley, oregano and basil)
* 1/2 cup pearl barley
* 1 bay leaf
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, optional
* 3 cups cleaned baby spinach leaves (about 3 ounces)
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* Extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
Put beans, water, tomatoes and their juices, garlic, celery, carrots, onion, barley, bay leaf, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, herb blend, pepper, and porcini mushrooms (if using) in a slow cooker; cover and cook on LOW until the beans are quite tender and the soup is thick, about 8 hours (it actually takes my slow cooker about 12 hours on low).
Stir in the spinach, cheese, and vinegar, cover, and let the soup cook until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and drizzle each serving with olive oil.
Stay warm and dry!
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