Hearty, smokey, and warming barley soup with sausage is classic German comfort food. This Graupensuppe is packed with vegetables, so you can even make it without the sausage and bacon if that sounds more appealing!
I'm a big fan of stews and soups because you throw everything in one pot and let it simmer. It's ready in 30 minutes and will taste like it has been cooking all day long!
It's not winter without a pot of hot soup. So when the cold weather rolls around, we're making it every week!
If you've never cooked with barley before, this is the recipe to make! My Dutch oven chicken barley soup, also packed with vegetables, is a runner-up.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions. However, there's some important stuff to know before you scroll down.
This soup loaded with delicious smokey sausage and bacon flavor will leave you feeling satisfied and comforted. So why not give it a try today? You won't be disappointed!
Why it Works
- This barley soup with sausage and vegetables is not only soothing to the soul on cloudy days but also a fantastic after-work recipe.
- This German Graupensuppe (also called Gerstensuppe) recipe is a must-have menu item for Oktoberfest and perfect for dishing up on the game day - it helps absorb large amounts of beer. 😉
- It's quick and easy to make and it has flavor and texture in every spoonful.
- You make it in just one pot, so cleaning up takes little effort.
- It's is hearty, filling, healthy, and always a real feast.
- This comforting dish is the perfect solution for busy weeknights and it's picky eaters-approved.
What is barley?
Barley is a cereal grain of round or oblong-round shape. It's a key ingredient in beer and whiskey production, a filling ingredient in soups and stews, a side dish, and people use it in bread in some cultures.
Cooked barley is an excellent addition to a leftover stew that would no longer be enough for a full meal.
🛒Ingredients and Notes
- Sausage: Any smoked sausage is suitable for this recipe. I used Polish kielbasa that comes in varieties of meats - beef, pork, chicken, or a combination. You could also use Andouille sausage that packs some heat. Authentic German barley soup recipe typically doesn't use Italian sausage, but go for it if you wish.
- Barley: Barley is low in gluten but is not gluten-free. If you or someone in your family has celiac disease, substitute with buckwheat instead. It's better than rice as it provides a similar chewy texture and nutrients. Use quick barley for a quick meal (*refer to FAQs section below).
- Veggies: onion, potato, leeks, carrots and celery (either stalk or root).
- Herbs and spices: oregano, smoked paprika (you can use regular sweet or hot paprika instead), nutmeg, bay leaf, and S&P.
- Liquid: Chicken broth. Sub with vegetable broth or water with addition of Vegeta (about 2 tablespoons).
🔪 Step by Step Instructions
- Cook the bacon in butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the onions and sliced sausage, and cook until onions are translucent and the sausage is browned.
- Add the leeks, carrots, celery, and potatoes; sauté for about 2 minutes.
- Season with salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, and nutmeg. Add the broth, barley, and bay leaf and bring to a boil; lower the heat and cook for 20-30 minutes or until barley and potatoes are cooked.
💡Top Tips
- You can use either celery stalks or root - celeriac, or both.
- Barley tends to "grow" even when refrigerated. Add more broth or water if it has a stew-like consistency or is too thick - best when it's in between soup and stew - aka "stoup."
- Add a splash of Maggy, a must-have seasoning liquid for soups and stews.
- Make in advance! This sausage barley soup is more delicious the next day, like all soups and stews allowed to steep overnight.
Variations
- Many recipes for classic barley soup also include other vegetables, like kohlrabi, turnips, or cauliflower to replace potatoes.
- You can add leafy greens such as spinach or kale.
- Add frozen or fresh peas, beans or green beans to make a vegetarian barley soup version. You can add whatever you like or have available in the season since barley has an earthy taste perfect for fresher produce!
How To Serve It
- For an authentic German experience serve this sausage barley dish with black or rye bread or German pretzel rolls. However, it goes well with any artisan-style bread or with a side of salad greens.
Equipment Needed
Tools are an essential part of cooking. Without them, the process becomes much more complex and time-consuming! So here is a list of my favorite things to use when making this recipe.
❓FAQs
Yes, you can make it in your pressure cooker and a slow cooker too!
Instant Pot: Brown the bacon, sausage, and onions on the "sauté" setting of your IP. Add all the other ingredients, close the lid and cook for 15 minutes on a "soup/stew" setting.
Slow cooker - Brown the meats and onions in a skillet. Transfer to the slow cooker/crockpot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until thoroughly cooked.
Both are equally nutritious. Pearl barley takes almost na hour to cook, while quick barley is pre-steamed and needs only 10-15 minutes. Hulled barley takes about 20-30 minutes longer to cook than pearl but is the healthiest kind of barley.
Yes, swap chicken broth with vegetable broth and use vegan kielbasa from your local Whole Foods or other health stores. You can also order tofurky online, but it comes as a 4-pack.
Other Amazing Recipes to Try
- Polish Chicken Soup with Barley and Mushrooms
- Cajun Chicken Gumbo with Barley
- Butternut Squash Barley Risotto
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
German Barley Sausage & Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 thick slices of bacon cut into chunks
- 1 Onion diced
- 7 oz. Kielbasa or another smoked sausage sliced
- 2 small leeks chopped - white and light green parts only
- 2 small chopped carrots
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 medium potato peeled and chopped
- ½ cup quick barley
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or pot on medium-high heat. Add the butter and bacon and fry to render most of its fat, but bacon is still soft and not crispy. Remove some of the fat if necessary - you should have about 2-3 tablespoons left in the pot.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the onions and sliced sausage and cook until onions are translucent and the sausage and bacon are browned.
- Add the leeks, carrots, celery, and potatoes; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes - season with salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, and nutmeg.
- Pour in the broth, add barley and bay leaf, then bring to a boil; lower the heat and cook for 20-30 minutes or until barley and potatoes are cooked.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve hot.
Recipe Video
Expert Tips
- You can use either celery stalks or root - celeriac, or both.
- Barley tends to "grow" even when refrigerated. Add more broth or water if it has a stew-like consistency or is too thick - best when it's in between soup and stew - aka "stoup."
- Add a splash of Maggy, a must-have seasoning liquid for soups and stews.
- Make in advance! This sausage barley soup is more delicious the next day, like all soups and stews allowed to steep overnight.
- You can use pearl barley, but quick barley makes for a quick meal (*refer to FAQs section in the post above).
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Leslie says
This looks yummy, but the recipe doesn't say when to add the barley.
Jas says
Oops, thanks so much for catching that. You add it with the broth, I've fixed the recipe to reflect it. 🙂