Old-Fashioned Bacon and Barley Soup (Gerstensuppe)

Total time: 105 mins.

Difficulty: Low

Serves: 2-3

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By Ilaria Canevara

Bacon and Barley soup, also called Gerstensuppe, is a traditional soup from South Tyrol and Tyrol, perfect for the colder seasons, when you're craving warm, comforting dishes. A true comfort food, it's a main dish made with pearl barley, crispy bacon, and chives, ingredients widely used in South Tyrolean cuisine.

Mainly eaten in autumn during Törggelen, the local grape-pressing festival, it can be enjoyed in mountain huts and cabins year-round. Easy to make, it's prepared by gently cooking it for a long time over low heat. The pearl barley is toasted in a pan with crispy bacon and cooked, covered with water, for about an hour.

At this point, add the vegetables, such as carrots, celery, onion, leeks, and potatoes, and continue cooking for another half hour. The end result is a creamy and flavorful dish, finished with chives for a fresh and fragrant note.

For an even more intense flavor, you can cook the barley in vegetable broth or, better yet, meat broth. Once ready, you can finish it with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan or Grana Padano. If you don't like the taste of chives, you can replace them with parsley, thyme, or a few sage leaves.

What is Bacon and Barley Soup?

Bacon and barley soup has roots in the traditional cooking of Northern and Central Europe, where barley was one of the most important grains for centuries thanks to its affordability, nutritional value, and ability to grow in cooler climates. The combination of barley with cured pork developed as a practical peasant dish, especially in regions where preserving meat through smoking and salting was essential for surviving the winter months. Versions of this hearty soup became particularly associated with areas such as Scotland, Germany, Austria, and parts of Eastern Europe, where barley, root vegetables, and smoked meats were common staples. Over time, immigrants brought these traditions to the United States, where bacon and barley soup found a place in American home cooking as a comforting, rustic dish often enriched with vegetables, herbs, and slow-cooked flavors. Today, it remains a classic example of how simple pantry ingredients can create a deeply satisfying meal.

Do I Need to Soak Barley?

You don’t always need to soak barley, but it can be helpful depending on the type you’re using. Pearl barley, the most common variety in U.S. supermarkets, does not require soaking — simply rinse it and cook it until tender. Hulled barley (the less processed whole-grain version) benefits from soaking for a few hours or overnight because it has a tougher outer layer and takes longer to soften. For soups like bacon and barley soup, soaking is optional but can shorten cooking time and help the grains cook more evenly.

Can I Make This Soup Vegan or Vegetarian?

Yes, easily! Simply replace the bacon with ingredients that add similar smoky, savory depth, such as smoked paprika, smoked tofu, mushrooms, or plant-based bacon alternatives. Use vegetable broth instead of meat-based stock, and keep the barley, vegetables, and herbs as the foundation of the soup. Mushrooms are especially useful because they add an earthy, umami flavor that helps recreate the richness traditionally provided by bacon.