Italian Sausage & Barley Soup
#SundaySupper
(a Nordstrom Café–inspired love story)
A few weeks ago, I was randomly at Nordstrom with my friend Jen, who was visiting from Houston. And by randomly, I mean: I am always at Nordstrom. It’s basically my second living room.
With dinner plans still hours away (and our shopping stamina strong), we were feeling a little peckish and decided to stop by the Nordstrom Café for a small nibble. I ordered the soup of the day, which turned out to be an insanely delicious Italian sausage and barley soup. One spoonful in and I was fully obsessed. Like, thinking about it days later obsessed. Obviously, I had to recreate it.
Servings
6
Ready In:
1 hour (most of it spent smelling amazing things)
Good For:
Lunch, Dinner, Supper
Inroduction
About this Recipe
Fast forward to a single-digit weekend in Chicago — the kind of cold that makes you question all your life choices — and after a full week of work travel, it felt like the universe was telling me: stay home, and make soup. The time had come to attempt my own version and hope I could do right by its deliciousness.
I Googled a few recipes (as one does), landed on a New York Times version that sounded just right, and took a little creative freedom — because that’s how we cook around here. The results? Soup-licious. Truly. This soup is easy, hearty, packed with cozy ingredients, and tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
And because I’m a giver (and because no one should gatekeep good soup), I’m sharing the recipe with you for your Sunday Supper, or really any night of the week!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces Italian sausage – I used mild sausage but would also be amazing with spicy
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup pearled barley (I used Quaker quick cook because efficiency matters)
- 6 cups fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Grated Parmesan, for garnishing (measure with your heart)
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot — very spa-like for the pan. Add the sausage, pressing it into a thin layer so it covers the bottom. Let it cook undisturbed until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. This is not the time to poke it. Let it live its life.
Flip the sausage, break it into bite-size pieces, and cook until browned all over, stirring occasionally, about 5 more minutes.
Step 2
Add the onion and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Your kitchen should now smell like you know what you’re doing.
Step 3
Stir in the stock, tomatoes (and their juices), scraping up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot — flavor lives there. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
Add the barley and cook for another 10 minutes, until everything is cozy, tender, and begging for a bowl.
Step 5
When you’re ready to serve, stir in the spinach and cook just until it’s bright green and slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Congratulations, you’ve added vegetables.
Step 6
Stir in the red wine vinegar, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. This is where it all comes together.
Final Step
Serve with as much grated Parmesan as you desire — which, for me, is a generous snowfall.
Wine Pairing
This one is hearty, cozy, easy, and smells like you’ve got your life together.
Bonus points if you pair it with a Sangiovese or Chianti, because soup deserves wine too 🍷
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