Classic Scotch Broth

With the weather turning, my go-to foods change.  From August to April my house is rarely without a batch of soup, so I knew my next recipe had to be a soup recipe.  Soup might seem like a boring meal to some, but it is a cheap, easy and delicious meal to have in the house!  So following on from a recent trip home I figured a vegan classic Scotch Broth would be IDEAL!  Scotch broth is traditionally made with beef stock, so obviously  it is a soup that is not naturally vegan.  The greens in a Scotch Broth are usually either kale or parsley, this time I used parsley, because that’s just what I had in the house.  It is a lovely warming soup, and freezes well so you can keep some in the freezer for a rainy day!

You will need:

For the Scotch Broth Mix:

• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1/2 cup spit peas
• 1/2 cup yellow split peas
• 1/4 cup red lentils

To prepare: If you are organised, soak the pulses overnight, otherwise rinse then boil all the pulses together for 20 mins then soak for 2 hours.  Rinse again and they are ready to use.

For the rest of the soup:

• 2 medium leeks, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 3 sticks of celery, diced
• Vegan Stock (about 4 litres)
• a bunch of parsley

Method:

Saute the leek a celery is a little bit of water until soft an translucent.

Add in the diced carrots and return to the heat for 5 mins.

Mix in the prepared pulses and stock.  You can use a pre-made stock liquid, or powder like I did.  I added 4 tbsp of this vegan bouillon and 4 litres of water.  Return to the heat, bring to the boil and then lower down to a med-low heat and simmer for about an hour.

As with most soups and stews, this is best left for a day and then eaten.  It’s still delicious served fresh, with some parsley, and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.  Some may add the parsley during cooking, or at the end before storage, but I prefer to add it fresh to the bowl when serving, otherwise the whole soup will taste like parsley.

Let me know if you try this recipe by commenting down below and tagging me on Instagram!  If you have any suggestions on ways you improved this recipe or your own little additions, please share!  Also feel free to share/pin this recipe on Pinterest!