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Persian Barley-Lentil Soup with Spinach

Persian Barley-Lentil Soup with Spinach

By Julia RackowApril 7, 2020

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    50 minutes
  • Slow Cook Time
    5¼ to 6¼ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    20 minutes active
  • Rating

This hearty vegetarian soup was inspired by a recipe in “Bottom of the Pot” by Naz Deravian, who explains that she created the dish by combining two classic Persian soups: lentil and barley. She uses dried limes common in Persian cuisine to infuse the broth with unique citrus notes. We opted for easier-to-find fresh limes and use the zest for fragrance and flavor and the juice to add tanginess. For efficiency, prep the spinach and cilantro while the barley and lentils cook. And to round out the meal, serve with warmed bread or flatbread and a dollop of plain yogurt for richness.

Tip

Don't use hulled barley instead of pearled barley. Hulled barley has had its inedible outer hull removed but retains its bran. Pearled barley, on the other hand, has been polished to remove the bran, which makes it quicker to tenderize; in this recipe, it cooks at the same rate as the lentils.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, chopped

  • 6

    medium garlic cloves, chopped

  • 2

    medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced ½-inch thick

  • 2

    tablespoons tomato paste

  • 4

    bay leaves

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    tablespoon grated lime zest, plus 3 tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

  • ¾

    cup pearled barley

  • ½

    cup brown or green lentils

  • 1½

    quarts low-sodium vegetable broth

  • 4

    cups lightly packed baby spinach, chopped

  • 1

    cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped

Step 1

On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, bay and 1 teaspoon salt.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime zest and juice, barley, lentils and broth, scraping up any browned bits, then distribute in an even layer.

Step 2

Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; set the pressure level to High.

Set the cooking time for 15 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, quick-release the steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting.

Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.

Step 3

Remove and discard the bay, then stir in the spinach and cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with oil and with lime wedges on the side.