This vegan Scotch broth is the next stop on my voyage to veganise traditional Scottish recipes. Hearty, filling, and healthy, it's a delicious seasonal soup to keep you warm during the winter months.
Scotch broth (or simply 'broth') is the kind of thing I remember eating all the time when I went to visit my gran and grandpa in Arbroath. Within five minutes of walking through the front door, we'd all be sitting around the table slurping away from our spoons.
While those soups would have been based on chicken or beef stock, this vegan version is just as flavourful. It's also got the original texture, with tender grains of barley that simmer with the vegetables to create an almost creamy consistency.
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What is Scotch broth?
Scotch broth is a Scottish soup traditionally featuring barley, a meat-based stock (often mutton, lamb, or beef), root vegetables (such as carrot, parsnip, and swede), and dried pulses. Like many dishes, it seems to have its own twists and variations depending on who you talk to.
In most versions, the barley is a key ingredient that thickens the soup to create a filling meal. Here in the UK, many people will use a pre-prepared 'broth mix' consisting of pearl barley and pulses such as yellow split peas, green split peas, and red split lentils.
Is broth mix traditional?
Since pulses like yellow peas and red lentils are currently not grown extensively on the British Isles, it would be my understanding that broth mix is something of a 20th-century phenomenon. Barley, on the other hand, has a long history of cultivation here.
Whether it's 'Scottish' or not, I'm definitely in favour of people eating more pulses and this recipe does include red split lentils (see also my recipe for red pepper and lentil soup). If you prefer, you can simply replace the barley and lentils with similar amounts of a shop-bought broth mix.
How to make Scotch broth vegan
In a traditional Scotch broth, it's the meaty stock that contributes most of the taste. In this vegan version, I use a good-quality vegan stock and add bay leaves, dried sage, and soy sauce to give it more depth and umami notes.
There's something about the earthy aroma of sage that I think does a decent job of emulating a meaty, almost gamey flavour. You could also add other big flavours such as yeast extract, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, but I've opted to keep it simple here.
Is scotch broth healthy?
Vegan Scotch broth is a very healthy and low-fat soup, with the various vegetables packing in a load of nutrients. Since the barley grains expand during cooking, it's also surprisingly hearty and filling.
What is barley?
Barley is a popular cereal grain and one of the first crops to be domesticated by human beings around 10,000 years ago. With a long history of uses in soups, stews, and breads, barley is also a key ingredient in beer and whisky production.
Hulled barley v pearl barley
You're likely to come across barley in one of two forms:
- Hulled barley (also known as dehulled barley or barley groats) is the wholegrain version whereby the outer husk is removed but the bran layers remain intact. It is more nutritious than pearl barley, however it takes longer to cook.
- Pearl barley (or pearled barley – pictured above) has had both the outer husk and bran layers removed. It can be stored for longer and cooks more quickly, however it is not as nutritious since the bran layer is gone.
This recipe uses pearl barley, which is probably the type you're most likely to find in the supermarket. If using hulled barley, you'll want to increase the cooking time and liquid amount.
Is barley gluten-free?
Barley contains gluten and is not suitable for consumption by anyone with a serious gluten-related disorder. If you want to make this soup gluten-free, you can try replacing the barley with GF grains such as buckwheat or quinoa, or simply add in more dried pulses.
You'll also want to use a GF soy sauce (or tamari) and vegan stock that are certified or labelled as such.
How to make vegan Scotch broth
Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and greener half of the sliced leek (saving the whiter parts to add towards the end of cooking). Season with salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the veg has softened and starts to get a hint of colour on it.
Next, add in the diced swede, vegan stock, soy sauce, dried sage, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer then stir in the barley and red lentils. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 30-40 mins or until the barley is tender.
Once the barley is tender, add in the kale and the sliced white parts of the leek. If necessary, top up with extra vegan stock and simmer for around 5 minutes or until the kale and leeks are tender.
Once cooked, try the soup and add any extra salt, pepper, and/or soy sauce to taste.
Serving suggestions for vegan Scotch broth
This soup is a fairly hearty and filling meal on its own, but you could always serve it alongside oatcakes or fresh crusty bread to bulk it out. Top it off with chopped parsley, vegan Worcestershire sauce, or even a drop of homemade vegan cream.
Variations and tips for vegan Scotch broth
- Broth mix: You can easily replace the barley and lentils with similar amounts of pre-prepared broth mix (you may want to soak this first – see package instructions).
- More flavour: I like the subtleness of the flavours in this recipe, but you could try adding big hitters like yeast extract, smoked paprika, and garlic powder if you want it to pack more of a punch.
- Veg: Feel free to throw in any other veg you have lying around. Celery, parsnip, turnip, and potato would all work well.
- Kale: If you don't have kale, you can easily swap this out for sliced cabbage or shredded Brussels sprouts.
How to store barley soup
Refrigerate: You can store this vegan Scotch broth in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen it up (the barley tends to thicken the soup even more once it's cooled down).
Freeze: This soup freezes very well for up to six months. Defrost for a few hours before reheating on the hob, adding a touch more water to loosen it up.
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More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Ultimate Vegan Haggis
- Vegan Cranachan (Scottish Dessert)
- Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
- Vegetable Minestrone Soup
- Vegan Haggis Toastie
- Easy Vegan Stovies (Scottish Potato Stew)
- Broccoli, Potato & Tarragon Soup
- Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
Full recipe
Easy Vegan Scotch Broth (Scottish Barley Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, scrubbed and diced
- 1 leek, washed, trimmed, cut lengthways, and sliced
- 1 small swede, peeled and diced
- 1.5-2 litres vegan stock
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 2 bay leaves
- 100 g pearl barley, rinsed
- 50 g dried red split lentils, rinsed
- 100 g sliced kale or cabbage
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and greener half of the sliced leek (saving the whiter parts to add towards the end of cooking). Season with salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the veg has softened and starts to get a hint of colour on it.
- Next, add in the diced swede, vegan stock (1.5 litres), soy sauce, dried sage, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer then stir in the barley and red lentils. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 30-40 mins or until the barley is tender.
- Once the barley is tender, add in the kale and the sliced white parts of the leek. Push the veg down into the broth and stir well. If necessary, top up with extra vegan stock (I usually add 300-500 ml here to help submerge everything). Simmer for around 5 minutes or until the kale and leeks are tender.
- Once cooked, try the soup and add any extra salt, pepper, and/or soy sauce to taste, and serve.
Notes
- Ultimate Vegan Haggis
- Vegan Cranachan (Scottish Dessert)
- Smoky Mushroom & Red Lentil Pâté
- Easy Vegan Stovies (Scottish Potato Stew)
- 15-Minute Tomato and Basil Soup
- Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- Easy Vegan Pea & Mint Soup
- White Bean Soup with Lemon & Parsley
Nutrition
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Heather Smith Thomassen
I love this; but 4 stars rather than 5 because, as in so many recipes, 2 carrots, 1 leek, 1 “small” swede. What does this mean - these veg vary SO much in size. A weight indication (pref in metric!) in all your recipes would be really helpful. Also: 10 mins prep - really? It takes me ages when things need dicing. Do you have a special gadget to do this? Dicing is a pain for me, as I have arthritis- so if you know anything that helps speed this up, it would be very much appreciated. Thank you - love all your recipes. Delicious.
The Pesky Vegan
Cheers, will bear that in mind going forward but glad you enjoyed anyway!
Peter McKechnie
Having tried your veggy haggis....absolutely delicious, I decided to try Scotch broth. I stuck to the recipe, apart from that I seemed to remember that Scotch broth contained lamb or mutton. So I looked for a plant based lamb, but couldn’t find any easily, so I plumped for Richmond (vegan) roast chicken and chopped it up in a food processor and added it. Sacrilege I know...... but I prepared it all in an instant pot and it was all done in about twenty minutes or so and was absolutely delicious, thanks.
The Pesky Vegan
Hi Peter, yep mutton or lamb-style substitutes aren't quite a thing yet (at least where I am) but there are plenty of other ways to pack flavour into broth. Sounds like you did a good job of it!
Sue
Thanks Alistar
Such a yummy recipe and so filling! I love all of your recipes and am very grateful for your ongoing posts. Thank you
Sue
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for the kind words and for following along - plenty more recipes where those came from!
Donna
PS. Scotch Broth Soup Message from Donna.
The second day, the Scotch Broth soup has thickened, thanks to the barely. Fortunately, we added noodles just to our bowls and not to the pot on the first day I made the soup. This soup is delicious, no mater what the consistency.
Thanks again for sharing this recipe, Alistair, on Pesky Vegan!
The Pesky Vegan
Cheers!
Donna
An early winter storm kept us inside yesterday. Most importantly, I had all my ingredients to prepare Vegan Scotch Broth soup. I was a happy home chef, and my husband and I were looking forward to warming up with a hot bowl of soup.
I did a bit of homework before gathering the ingredients. What the heck is swede, I wondered? I found out that rutabaga is its name here in the states. And in all my years of living, (age 71!) I have never eaten this root vegetable nor has my husband, Dan. At first I was going to just substitute it with potatoes. But, decided to be brave and wanted to keep to the recipe as close a possible.
Your recipe calls for one small swede. I was not sure what small is, but I figured the one I bought was NOT small at all at 74 grams, so I cut it in half and then peeled and diced it.
For me, the prep took longer than 10 minutes, if I count the chopping veggie time and doing necessary measurement conversions, which is a good exercise for this metric challenged gal. Still, pretty easy and I know the prep will be more efficient the next time I make a pot of this soup, which will be soon, as I have the other half of swede to use up. (A freezer batch!) With chilly and cold weather a given for several months, I know we will be slurping down Vegan Scotch Broth, frequently.
As you can tell, this delicious and nutritious soup was a hit with my soup loving hubby and with me!
Donna
Oh, I did add one additional ingredient not called for, cooked noodles! For us, broth soups "scream" out for noodles. Also, we enjoyed the swede. We were not sure what to expect, and so we were pleasantly surprised with its mild flavor, not bitter as we feared. (Not sure why we thought it would be bitter.)
Another thing, I prepare all my soups without oil, so I water sautéed the veggies.
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks Donna, glad you enjoyed it - I might have to give this a go with noodles myself at some point!
Martha
Hi Alistair! Warm greetings from South Florida.
You've hit another winner!! This is absolutely delicious.
I approached this as an adventure as I have never had scotch broth vegan or otherwise...or known anyone who made it....or ever saw it on a restaurant menu.
Also, I've never eaten swedes (rutabega?) or parsnips so I really didn't know what I was getting into!
I consider myself a better-than-average soup maker and this is certainly going to the top of my list. What a wonderful new (for me) taste! I'm thinking it will be even much better tomorrow after the flavors meld together.
I made some of the substitute suggestions due to product unavailability. The only different additive was a tsp. of ground white pepper which added a lovely zing. Thanks again.
The Pesky Vegan
Hi Martha, thanks for the review and glad to hear you enjoyed it! It's a great soup for the winter months (even if those aren't quite the same in Florida!) and I do think it gets even better after a day or two. Take care!
Rowena Richards
This is absolutely delicious, thank you so much for re introducing me to pearl barley (it’s been a while) I just can’t get enough of it now. I made this recipe in my slow cooker a few days ago and it is now my favourite dish. I had a pack of frozen mixed stewing veg in the freezer so threw those in so I didn’t even have to do any prep which was a plus. Off to Morrisons to pick up another bag of pearl barley before everyone else cotton’s on to how good this stuff is and good value too!
The Pesky Vegan
Yeh barley is a great ingredient, with a long history of cultivation and use here in the UK. Glad you enjoyed the soup and thanks very much for the shining review!
Donna Barski
Hello Alistar!
Thanks for this post!
Your Scottish broth soup sounds so nutritious, looks beautiful and great tasting too! Just to let you know, I'll be preparing it soon and get back to you.
I enjoyed receiving Pesky Vegan e-mails this summer, but just have not had time to experiment with new recipes or to write. This is changing, well, after fall chores are done and the snow and cold inspire more cozy inside times. I can hardly wait. (My husband and I love winters and Pesky Vegan!)
Again, your Scottish broth soup with barely will truly be a perfect fall and winter warm up! I'm sure of that!
Stay tuned!
The Pesky Vegan
Hi Donna, great to hear from you - let me know how you get on!
Sue
I made this with veg that needed eating up so the swede and kale were replaced with potatoes and celery. It was really tasty and my husband who always says he hates pearl barley liked it too. Thanks, I will definitely make this again.
The Pesky Vegan
Great news - glad you enjoyed and thanks for the review!
Pauline
Excellent. I’d say that is easily enough for six, so I’m having it all week for lunch. I used spring greens as the cabbage element, and would like some parsnip in there next time. Really really good. My only complaint? It is so filling and warming on this snowy day, that I’d like a snooze now.
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks very much - I'll take that as the only complaint!
Amber-Sophie Dugdale
Very lovely, healthy, warming dish. Great for healthy work lunches! (At least that's what I've been having it for on cold days!)
The Pesky Vegan
Yep definitely a good one for this time of year, thanks for the review!
Patricia L. Ritchie
I made this wonderful recipe yesterday! I found it to be delicious and filling on a cold rainy day in Pennsylvania! Thank you for your dedication to sharing vegan recipes! I have been Vegan since May of 2010 and always adding to my collection of recipes! Next on my list: Vegan Haggis! In honor of my ancestors from The Isle of Skye!
❤️
Patricia. (Age 76 and pretty darned healthy!)
The Pesky Vegan
Hi Patricia! Great to hear from you, and very cool that you've been vegan for over a decade now! I'm glad I've helped to keep meals interesting for a pro like yourself - you'll have to let me know how you get on with the haggis!