When I first saw this soup over at $5 Dinners, it screamed out at me. The picture was so appealing, and the name of it: Tomato Black Bean Barley just sounded so hearty and warming and just the perfect thing for lunch for a cool fall day. Reading through the directions though, there was one ingredient that really caused me to pause. The 1/2 cup of Italian salad dressing just threw me… I’ve used Italian dressing often enough as a marinade that I get the flavor it adds to a dish- but the idea of salad dressing in soup- my mind just was not wrapping well around that idea. I filed the recipe away in the annals of my brain, telling myself I’d think about it later on. As it turned out, I could not stop thinking about it, it just sounded so good. And while I couldn’t reconcile the idea of salad dressing in soup, I think I came up with a very respectable compromise.
Salad Dressing Mix was the secret ingredient. This way, I could add the Italian flavor, but not end up with this pool of salad dressing floating on top of my bowl of soup. So I tried just that. My intentions had been that at the very end, I would add a splash of red wine vinegar to the soup as well, but I completely forgot about that part. The soup was very tasty- and just as hearty as I’d suspected. I adapted it a small bit to suit what I had on hand- and of course, using the dressing mix instead of dressing. This came together very quickly, and I will keep this recipe on hand to use for those days where I want a quick soup lunch without having to open up a can of ready-made soup.
Adapted Tomato Black Bean Barley Soup
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian salad dressing mix
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste (didn’t need)
- Parmesan Cheese for serving
In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the onion for about five minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and the bell pepper, cook for an additional two minutes. Add the remaining ingredients-except the Parmesan cheese, add the cover, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
Taste to check for seasoning, and to see that the barley is tender. Serve immediately, ladeled into bowls and topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese
Serves 6
I so do not blame you for being weirded out by adding salad dressing to a soup! You came up with a creative solution though.
My kind of fall soup! I would of preferred your adaption anyway. Thanks so much!
This sounds delicious! I’ve been thinking about soups recently and will have to try this one soon!
I hope you all try this one out- it was so easy and delicious. It was also substantial enough on it’s own too- I love it when that happens.