Updated 9/5/2023
The fabled Highlands of Scotland – rugged, misty and cool most of the year. After a day of boating on the loch or exploring medieval castles, there is nothing better to warm your insides than a hearty Scotch broth.
This hearty soup is great for lunch on a chilly day. It’s also a perfect way to use leftover lamb.

If you have lamb bones, use them to make your broth first. Add 3 quarts water to the pot (instead of the store-bought broth), then the lamb bones, along with thyme, bay leaves, pepper, salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1½ hours. Remove the bones and add the other ingredients following the recipe instructions below.

Lamb and Barley Scotch Broth
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 ribs celery finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 cup leftover lamb roast, chopped
- 2 quarts lamb or beef broth
- 1½ quarts water
- ¾ cup pot barley
- 1 potato (medium-sized) peeled and diced
- 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp thyme
- 1 tsp Worcestershire or Tamarind Sauce
- ½ tsp pepper fresh ground
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- On medium heat, cook the celery, carrots and onion in oil under tender (about 8 to 10 mininutes). Stir frequently to avoid browning or scorching.
- Add all remaining ingredients, except potatoes, to a 4 quart pot.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add potatoes, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Per serving Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1.5g | Iron: 2mgDid you make this recipe?
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12 replies on “Lamb and Barley Scotch Broth”
Great recipe! I replaced the potatoes with barley. Very good!
Thank you Anne. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the delicious hearty soup recipe- most ingredients were on hand and/or home grown. I added some oven roasted tomatoes which added an extra level of yummy ?
Thank you for sharing your experience. Adding those tomatoes does sound delicious.
This was delicious. I made my own stock as well which not only tastes good but has a certain level of self righteousness about it ?. Am making again tonight but with left over chicken and bone broth. Not traditional scotch broth I know but a good way to use up the leftovers.
Homemade broth is the best! It’s such a smart way to get all of all of the natural goodness from the meat and avoid wasting perfectly good food. Thank you for sharing.
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