My daughter came home from school for winter break craving Graupensuppe, German Pearl Barley Soup. I get it. When you are away from home, you crave the foods you only get at home. Soups or stews that make you feel loved inside. After visiting a few stores to find Pearl Barley (is there a shortage?), we made a big pot of soup together. Graupensuppe is relatively simple with only a few ingredients: barley, carrot, celery, broth, simple seasonings, and the optional sausage, but the flavors marry into tasty, healthy, and budget-conscious soup.
German Barley Soup with Sausage- Graupensuppe
Unlike many soups that benefit from long cooking, Graupensuppe is relatively quick. From the time you start pulling ingredients out of the refrigerator until the soup comes to the table, it will take less than an hour. There is a 30-minute cooking period during which it cooks itself, where you can walk away.
Variations
– Try different sausages!
-Kielbasa -the flavor I grew up with.
-Smoked Beef Sausage -for a smokier taste.
-Regular Frankfurters -inexpensive, and very popular with the kids
or
– Leave out the sausage and use a vegetable broth, and you will have a delicious and filling vegetarian meal.
-Double the carrots and celery for a vegetable forward Barley Soup
What’s the Difference Between Graupen and Gersten?
Both Graupen and Gersten are Barley. The difference lies in the processing. Gersten or Pot Barley is barley with the outermost (inedible) hull removed, and Graupen, called Pearl Barley, is barley that’s had the hull removed and then polished. You can make a soup out of either, but the Gersten will take longer to cook and leave you with a chewier grain. I grew up eating soup made from Pearl Barley, so that’s the recipe I will share.
We had trouble finding Pearl Barley in our local grocery stores.
Amazon carries it. Each 16 oz bag will make this recipe 2 times with some leftover. Find it here-> Pearl Barley
German Pearl Barley Soup- Graupensuppe
Equipment
- 1 Soup Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pearl Barley 200 gram
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 5-7oz Onion Diced 150-200 gr
- 3-4 Carrots Sliced into ¼ inch rounds
- 3 Celery Stalks Sliced into ¼ inch slices
- 8 cup Chicken Broth approx. 2 liter
- 2 Bay Leaves
- ½- 1 lb Kielbasa Sausage Sliced into rounds 225-450 gram
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Top with
- 2-3 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a soup pot or Dutch Oven melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the carrots and celery slices, cook for another minute, stirring.
- Add the rest of the ingredients: Chicken Broth, Barley, Bay Leaves, Sausage, Salt & Pepper. (Save Parsley for serving) Stir.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Put the lid on the pot, and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, check for seasoning. Add salt or pepper if needed.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve
Notes
I add chopped up celery leaves to the soup when I add the celery for extra flavor. Lovage/Maggikraut adds nice flavor, if you have it. The soup is ready in under an hour, but will keep in the refrigerator for a few days, and makes excellent leftovers.
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Love it !!
me too!