No question- this is my favorite Pickled Barley Turkey Soup! It also happens to be the only barley soup I make. Maybe it’s not the one I grew up eating, but it has become a favorite.

This recipe comes from one of my sisters who shared the recipe with me a few years ago, and my family has been enjoying it since. Naturally, this soup tastes too good to keep to myself, so I am sharing the recipe with you.  

Best Time to Make this Hearty Soup

Although these days turkey can be bought year-round, I like to save this comforting recipe to make during the colder months, mostly around Thanksgiving. Actually, it’s one of our favorite soups around this time of year. Barley Pickle Turkey Soup is so filling that I like to serve it as a hearty main dish.

Soup is an easy and filling dish, and a great way to pack some more vegetables and nutrition into your day. 

What is Barley?

Barley is a cereal grain that is great to use if you happen to be looking for a substitute for buckwheat, oats, rice, or quinoa. It’s still good to enjoy on its own, but also great in soups and salads. 

Can I substitute the Barley? 

So barley does contain gluten, so it’s not considered a gluten-free food. You can, of course, substitute the barley in the soup for a gluten-free option such as buckwheat, rice, or even a gluten-free pasta.

How to Make this Pickle Soup: 

Soups are usually made from pantry staple ingredients, and this great recipe is no exception. 

Turkey– Ground. I like to use the dark meat of the bird. 

Egg– large

Water
Potatoes– I like to use yellow potatoes.

Butter– Unsalted

Onion– yellow, and not the sweet kind.

Dill pickles– Make sure it’s the kosher dill kind of pickles, it changes the taste of the soup if they’re not dill.  

Garlic– A boost of flavor.

Salt and pepper to flavor, and fresh parsley

What do I need to make this recipe?

• 1 lb ground turkey
• pepper
• 1 large egg
• salt
• 1 qt water
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 small handful fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 kosher dill pickles
• 1 garlic clove

How to make Barley Pickle Turkey Soup:

1. Combine the turkey with the egg in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, and give it a good mix.

2. Fill a medium pot with water. It should be an inch over half-way full. Bring it to a boil.

3. As soon as the water comes to a boil, form small equal-sized meatballs from the turkey mix and drop them into the hot water. (The water must be boiling or the meatballs will fall apart). Cook the meatballs.

4. Peel and cube potatoes, then add to the soup pot with meatballs.

5. In a separate small pot boil 2 cups of water and add the 1/2 cup of pearl barley. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain the pearl barley and add to the meatballs.

6. Chop an onion, then sauté it in a skillet with butter until soft and tender.

7. Dice 3 kosher dill pickles into small squares. Add to the onion and sauté for another 2 minutes.

8. Mince the garlic then add to the pan with the pickles and onions, and turn the heat off.

9. Combine a small handful of fresh parsley with the onions and pickles.

10. After potatoes have softened, add sautéed vegetables into the pot. Salt and pepper to your taste. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat off. 

I hope you love this soup as much as we do. Here are other great meatball soup recipes you may enjoy: 

Garbanzo Beans with Rice, Chicken, and Meatballs Soup

Tangy Chicken and Tomato Soup

Chicken Meatball Soup

 Products I used for this recipe: 

Barley Pickle Turkey Soup

This soup is filling, hearty, and perfect for chilly days.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 mins

Total Time 1 hr 20 mins

Course dinner, lunch, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 150 kcal

Equipment

• Knife
• Cutting board
• soup pot
• Ladle
• saucepan
• garlic press

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb ground turkey
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 large egg
• 1 qt water
• 2 medium potatoes chopped into quarters
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 3 kosher dill pickles diced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 small handful fresh parsley chopped
• ½ cup pearl barley cooked, drained

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, mix 1 pound of ground turkey with 1 large egg, 1/2 Tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. (I like to use the dark meat of the turkey.)
  
• Fill a medium pot with 1 quart of water, or an inch over half-way full. Bring to a boil.
• When the water comes to a boil, make small balls from the turkey mix and drop them into the pot. (The water must be boiling or the meatballs will fall apart). Cook the meatballs.
  
• Peel and cut 2 medium sized potatoes into small pieces. Add to the boiling meatballs.
  
• In a separate small pot boil 2 cups of water and add the 1/2 cup of pearl barley. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain the pearl barley and add to the meatballs.
  
• Chop 1 yellow onion. Sauté in a pan with 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter until the onion is soft.
  
• Chop 3 kosher dill pickles into small squares. Add to the onion and sauté for another 2 minutes.
  
• Mince 1 clove of garlic then add to the pan with the pickles and onions. Turn the heat off.
• Add a small handful of fresh parsley to the onions.
  
• After potatoes have softened, add sautéed vegetables into the pot. Salt and pepper to your taste.
• Simmer for 5 minutes. Enjoy.
  

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Barley Pickle Turkey Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 150 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 59mg20%

Sodium 258mg11%

Potassium 252mg7%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 219IU4%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword barley, chicken soup, dinner, garlic, green onion, lunch, onion, parsley, pickle, potato, potato beef stew, soup, turkey

Tried this recipe?Let us know in the comments how it was!