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Home » Soup

Published: Nov 30, 2022 by Kathy

Turkey Barley Soup

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A bowl of soup with carrots and turkey.

A delicious way to use up any leftover turkey is with this Turkey Barley Soup.

Easy to make and full of hearty barley, carrots and turkey.

A bowl of soup with turkey, carrots and barley.

Leftover turkey soup

As you're nearing the end of your holiday turkey, this barley soup with turkey is a delicious bowl of soup. It not only tastes great, but it's a welcome change from all that rich holiday food.

This soup uses turkey broth, although you could use chicken broth too. It's loaded with carrots and leftover turkey and barley.

I've used regular pearl barley in this recipe and it takes about 45 minutes for it to cook, but I've found that's about how long the carrots need to cook so they are perfectly soft all the way through.

Serve this soup for a light dinner or lunch and leftovers are great reheated too. This barley soup also freezes well which means you've got an easy meal right in the freezer for another dinner!

If you love barley, you'll want to check out my beef barley soup!

Key ingredients

Ingredients for making turkey barley soup.
  • Turkey - use up that leftover holiday turkey. You can dice the turkey or add it shredded. If you don't have any turkey, this soup is perfect with chicken too!
  • Turkey Broth - make your own or use chicken broth
  • Pearl Barley - I used regular pearl barley, not instant pearl barley in this recipe. Pearl barley has its fibrous outer hull removed. It provides a delicious texture to this soup.
  • Veggies - Onion, celery, carrots, garlic and tomatoes. You'll use one can of diced tomatoes, drained. I used my home-canned tomatoes and are perfect in this soup.
  • Seasoning - Dried thyme, rubbed sage, dried rosemary and bay leaves

Step by step directions

  • Place olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add onions, carrots and celery. Saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions have softened.
  • Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until warm
  • Pour in turkey broth, barley and seasonings
  • Simmer for 45-60 minutes until barley is cooked through
  • Add turkey and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until turkey is heated through
  • Garnish with fresh parsley
Sauteed veggies in a soup pot.

Recipe tips

  • The amount of salt used will vary. I use unsalted turkey broth and sometimes need to add a bit more. I start with one teaspoon and taste the soup just before serving. If needed I add a bit more salt. Adjust to your liking.
  • Feel free to add a bit more or a bit less turkey, depending on what you have available.
  • Leftover chicken can be used in place of the turkey
  • Taste the barley to determine when it is fully cooked. It should be soft, but chewy. If you examine a kernel, you will no longer see any white in the center of the barley.

Frequently asked questions

Can turkey barley soup be frozen?

Yes, this soup freezes well. Allow soup to cool, then place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months.

How long will turkey barley soup last in the refrigerator?

It's best to consume this soup within 3-4 days.

Serving suggestions

  • Homemade dinner rolls
  • Easy cheddar biscuits
  • Breadsticks

More delicious leftover turkey recipes

  • Turkey tortilla soup
  • Turkey pot pie - just use turkey instead of the chicken
  • Alfredo broccoli bake - make with turkey or chicken
  • Turkey wraps
A spoonful of soup over a blue and white bowl.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Check out all my delicious soup recipes!

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    Beef and Barley Soup
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    Butternut Squash Carrot Soup
  • A bowl of chili topped with sour cream and cheese.
    Three Bean Turkey Chili
  • Pouring turkey broth into a stock pot.
    How to make Turkey Stock
A bowl of soup with turkey, carrots and barley.

Turkey Barley Soup

Kathy Berget
A hearty soup filled with leftover turkey, barley and carrots.
5 from 21 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 242 kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion (diced, about 2 cups)
  • 2 stalks celery (diced, about 1 cup)
  • 3 carrots (peeled and diced, about 1 ½ -2 cups)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 quarts turkey broth (or chicken broth)
  • 1 cup pearl barley (not instant)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1-2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 3-4 cups leftover turkey
  • ½ teaspoon fresh parsley (garnish, optional)

Instructions
 

  • Place olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add onions, carrots and celery. Saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions have softened.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 2 stalks celery, 3 carrots
  • Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until warm
    2 cloves garlic
  • Pour in turkey broth, barley and seasonings
    3 quarts turkey broth, 1 cup pearl barley, 2 bay leaves, ½ teaspoon rubbed sage, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, 1-2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
  • Simmer for 45-60 minutes until barley is cooked through
  • Add turkey and simmer for another 5-10 minutes until turkey is heated through
  • Garnish with fresh parsley
    ½ teaspoon fresh parsley

Notes

  • The amount of salt used will vary. I use unsalted turkey broth and sometimes need to add a bit more. I start with one teaspoon and taste the soup just before serving. If needed I add a bit more salt. Adjust to your liking.
  • Feel free to add a bit more or a bit less turkey, depending on what you have available.
  • Leftover chicken can be used in place of the turkey
  • Taste the barley to determine when it is fully cooked. It should be soft, but chewy. If you examine a kernel, you will no longer see any white in the center of the barley.

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 20gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 1688mgPotassium: 384mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3906IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David @ Spiced says

    December 01, 2022 at 5:18 am

    5 stars
    I absolutely love pearl barley in a soup! Normally I use it in chicken and rice soup, but this version with turkey sounds delicious...and perfect for this time of the year. It's chilly out there today, and a good bowl of this soup would be great for dinner!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      December 01, 2022 at 7:14 am

      It is really delicious! We have lots of snow right now and this soup is perfect for warming us up!

      Reply
5 from 21 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

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