Split Pea-Vegetable-Barley Soup with Mini Meatballs & Link to NEW Shiur

As you can probably tell by now, I’m into soups 🙂

https://michalhorowitz.com/zucchini-meat-soup/

https://michalhorowitz.com/hearty-cabbage-meat-soup/

https://michalhorowitz.com/birthright-soup/

Soups are low fat (the way I make them), hearty, filling, warm and a great way to begin any dinner.  This newest soup is full of flavor and the mini meatballs kick it up a notch.  It’s a soup that will be a winner with adults and kids alike.  It’s elegant enough to serve as the soup course with a formal meal and hearty enough for a weeknight supper.

It’s really easy to throw together, so don’t let the long list of instructions and ingredients scare you off!  If you prefer, and for ease of preparation, you can chop the vegetables in the bowl of a food processor, which has been fitted with the metal S-blade. 

Split Pea Vegetable Barley Soup with Mini Meatballs

In a large (meat) pot, heat some oil over medium heat.  To the heated oil, add:

1 large onion, diced

3 stalks celery (washed and leaves removed), diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced (keep in mind that I use the carrots from the 1lb. bag, so they are thinner and smaller than the carrots that are sold loose)

1 box (8 oz.) white button mushrooms, cleaned and diced

2 cubes frozen parsley and 2 cubes frozen garlic

Sauté all the vegetables for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, till softened.  Don’t skip this step, as it adds much flavor and depth to the soup.

While the vegetables are sautéing, prepare the meatball mixture.

In a (meat) mixing bowl, mix together:

1 lb. chopped meat, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper and parsley flakes.  Add in a small squeeze of ketchup.  Mix all together and set aside. 

To the soup pot, add:

1 box (32 oz.) organic low sodium chicken broth/stock

One package (6 oz.) split pea soup mix with its seasonings

3 Tbsp. barley

6 c. cold water

Drizzle maple syrup over the top of the soup (If you are following these recipes, you will note maple syrup has not made an appearance in a few weeks!  It’s back…)

Once the soup is made, roll the prepared meat mixture into small (bite size) meatballs, and drop the raw meatballs directly into the soup. 

Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce the heat and cook, covered, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Serve each serving with a generous portion of soup and a few meatballs in each bowl.

Delicious, nutritious, visually appealing, filling and tasty! 

Note: there is no salt added to the soup, because the split pea seasoning packet has a lot of sodium, the soup stock has sodium, and the chopped meat has been salted when kashered.  In addition, we don’t like our food overly salty.  I would recommend waiting to taste the soup broth (once the meatballs are no longer raw) before you decide if you want to add salt or not.  For our taste, the sodium level in the soup was perfect as prepared above. 

FYI, In honor of Tu B’Shevat, and upcoming to Purim and Pesach, here is the link to a new shiur, presented this past Sunday (1.28.18) at the YI Woodmere, “From Rain to Redemption: When Our Prayers Bear Fruit.”

http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/893990/mrs-michal-horowitz/from-rain-to-redemption-when-our-prayers-bear-fruit/

Happy cooking, learning and enjoy!  Kol tuv,

Michal

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2 Comments
  • Helene
    Posted at 16:57h, 31 January

    Thanks for the recipe! I am surprised you use the “flavor” packet from the split pea soup. Basically it’s monosodium glutamate. You could leave it out and substitute salt and maybe more garlic powder, onion powder, etc.

    • Michal Horowitz
      Posted at 17:16h, 31 January

      Feel free to use whatever spices you prefer instead of the spice packet.
      Keep in mind you can get the soup mixes with spice packets that are M.S.G. free. But if you would rather not use it, just leave it out 🙂
      Enjoy!