This stew will satisfy your hunger and nutrient needs in the cold winter months. Kale is a powerhouse of nutrition, delivering a bounty of vitamins and minerals. Barley is full of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber and adds great heartiness to this warming stew. If you want more heat, add a spicy sausage. This is a great dish to bring to a potluck.
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Servings
4 to 6
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the barley and a big pinch of salt, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the sausage and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil, the onion and garlic to the saucepan and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Cut the sausage links into 1-inch (2.5-cm) slices and return them to the saucepan. Cook, stirring often, until the sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the barley and the kale and cook just until the kale softens, about 5 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper, ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Healthy Dish of the Day, by Kate McMillan (Weldon Owen, 2014).
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Michelle M from
So tasty!Honestly, I must make this every couple of weeks, it is that good! I make it on a Sunday and freeze it for lunches for the week. Freezes and reheats in the microwave beautifully. The only change I made was substituting the sausage for ground turkey and throwing in a bunch more kale. Highly recommend!!
Date published: 2017-05-14
Rated 5 out of
5 by
ThistleKnitter from
It's a keeper!!I've now made this three times. Once with turkey sausage and again with chicken sausage. I made it this evening for my mom's birthday dinner. My brother "doesn't do well with turkey or chicken" so I used sweet Italian pork sausage. It was just as delicious!!!!
One change I'll repeat, I like regular barley better than the quick cooking, it stays firmer. I also streamlined a little while cooking this today by just tossing everything in the drained barley pot. I was not using my kitchen to cook. I premade dinner this morning. I added the kale before reheating for dinner.
Date published: 2015-03-22
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Consumer2 from
Absolutely phenomenalThis recipe is wonderful. I used the exact directions. I realize the prior reviewer recommended less barley, I used the recipe recommendations. However, I did not have "quick cooking barley"; instead I used regular barley and cooked it 35-45 minutes based on the package directions. The barley may expand when it's used as leftovers, but as it is for the initial meal, the barley is a satisfactory amount.
I would definitely make this again. It's so easy!
Date published: 2014-03-06
Rated 5 out of
5 by
PM3120 from
Great tasting healthy StewI made this tasty stew for our dinner about one week ago, and it was truly so very delicious that we also enjoyed it for another evening's meal. I did use full sized turkey sausage that just also happened to have kale in it. I also added more chicken broth to this dish in the following serving as it does absorb what is called for in the recipe. We really enjoyed this dish with a light salad and some crusty bread.
