This stew is sneaky delicious. With such simple ingredients, it’s hard to imagine how there can be such a depth of flavor. However, let me tell you – roasting the red peppers does not disappoint! Altogether, you get a very easy, hearty, and absolutely delicious weeknight meal or double the recipe for a big pot of weekend stew. Either way, you’ll likely find yourself going back for seconds!
Recipe courtesy of Thug Kitchen.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 lb. cremini or button mushrooms, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, roasted and chopped*
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 8 C vegetable broth
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ½ C pearled barley
- salt and black pepper
- Chopped parsley, for serving
Directions:
- In a big soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Throw in the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté it until everything is soft and started to turn golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, 2/3 of the chopped roasted peppers, the rosemary, and the soy sauce and sauté until the mushrooms start releasing some of their moisture and look kind of cooked, about 5 minutes.
- While that’s all cooking, throw 3 cups of vegetable broth in a blender with the remaining amount of roasted bell pepper and blend until it looks smooth. (In a hurry or hate extra dishes? Skip this step and just add the rest of this roasted pepper when you add the other roasted peppers in step 1.)
- When the mushrooms have started breaking down, add the tomato paste, cooking for a minute or two to kind of caramelize it. Add the vinegar and barley and sauté for another minute. Add all the broth, including the one with the pepper in it, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and let that all simmer together over medium-low heat until the barley gets soft, 40-50 minutes.
- Taste at the end and add more salt and pepper before dishing out. Serve with some chopped parsley on top.
*Roasting peppers is so easy! Check out these 4 easy ways from Zestful Kitchen and pick your favorite!
By: Erin Pellegrin, RD