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–+ servings
Smoked Sausage Barley Soup
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5 from 2 votes

Smoked Sausage Barley Soup

Smoked Sausage Barley Soup is a hearty and delicious comfort food meal. Similar to gumbo, it starts with a dark roux and is loaded with vegetables, smoked sausages and pearl barley.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Soups
Cuisine: American
Keyword: barley soup, brisket smoked sausage, comfort food, pearl barley recipes, smoked sausage soup
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 487kcal
Author: Milisa

Ingredients

for the roux

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour

for the barley

for the soup

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons beef base
  • 1/2 cup sliced okra fresh or frozen
  • 1 pound brisket smoked sausage or preferred store brand smoked sausage
  • pinch chili flakes

Instructions

  • Cook pearl barley in water, bringing to a boil. Cover and lower to simmer and cook about 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. 
  • Start the roux in a large soup pan or dutch oven by combining butter and flour. Cook over low heat, stirring continually with a wood spoon, about 30 - 45 minutes.
  • Chop the onion, bell peppers, carrots, celery and garlic. 
  • Cook the chopped vegetables in butter in another pan over medium heat, stirring often until softened and onions just start to brown. Mix in smoked paprika, salt, pepper and brown sugar. Remove from heat and set aside. 
  • Continue to cook the roux until it becomes dark brown, like chocolate. Roux should be smooth and should not be sticking to the pan. It's a good idea to taste the roux to make sure it isn't burned. If it is burned, you need to start over.
  • Stir vegetables into roux.
  • Mix water with beef base until mixed well. 
  • Stir into vegetable mixture and bring to a low boil. Cook until mixture is heated through and starts to thicken, about 20 minutes.
  • Add barley and okra.
  • Mix in smoked sausage and lower to simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Add chili flakes and serve immediately.

Notes

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator.
Reheat in a pan over medium heat. Add additional broth or water if desired, stirring often until heated through, about 8 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g