I make lentil soup quite often, and I change it up a little each time. This batch of lentil soup with barley started with onions and carrots, followed by the lentils and barley. It made a hearty, filling soup that was perfect for a cool evening.
One thing I like about lentil soup is how easy it is to adapt to what I have on hand. When I have homemade chicken broth in the refrigerator or freezer, I use that instead of a bouillon cube. Lentils and barley are inexpensive pantry staples, and adding vegetables makes it easy to put together a filling meal while being mindful of the grocery budget..
Lentil soup is one of those meals that makes good use of what I already have in the pantry. I served this batch with an assortment of breads from the freezer, left over from my weekly baking. With a pot of soup and bread ready to go, I had a filling dinner without needing to buy anything extra or spend time baking that day.