No question- this is my favorite Pickled Barley Turkey Soup! It also happens to be the only barley soup I make. It May not have been 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. 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. It’s actually one of our favorite soups around this time of year. It’s 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 You will Need: 

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

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: 

Print Recipe

Barley Pickle Turkey Soup

Course: dinner, lunch, Soup

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

Servings: 8

Calories: 150kcal

Ingredients

• 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

Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg