Copycat Olga’s Peasant Soup

Copycat-Olgas-Peasant-Soup in Bowl with Snackers
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This Copycat Olga’s Peasant Soup is just like the original, filled with gyro meat, barley, vegetables, and herbs, and has a rich, tomatoey broth. I have been eating Olga’s Peasant Soup since I was just a kid. Most of the restaurant locations have either closed or been relocated, but I still love the Peasant Soup as much as a I did back then. Making a big, hearty pot of this delicious soup is perfect for a cold Fall or Winter day.

The only tricky part of this recipe is finding good quality gyro meat to use as the base for the soup. I found some great gyro meat by “Opaa!” at Gordon Food Service Store, and another great brand from Costco. Either one worked really well, but I am partial to the flavor of the GFS gyro meat.

I also purchased the Salad Supreme Seasoning from Amazon so I would have the exact flavor of Olga's seasoning blend for this soup.
Salad Supreme Seasoning

I also love to use Salad Supreme Seasoning for my Copycat Olga Bread recipe when I make them into Snackers!

https://beckysrecipebox.com/copycat-olga-bread/

Side view of Copycat-Olga-Bread Pieces
Copycat Olga Bread

Making the Copycat Olga’s Peasant Soup

In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté store bought gyro meat over medium-high heat until slightly browned. Drain any extra grease/oil from the meat, transfer meat to a bowl.

Copycat-Olgas-Peasant-Soup Meat Browing in Pot

Reduce the heat to medium, and sauté the diced onion and minced garlic for 2-3 minutes or until just tender and fragrant.

Transfer the gyro meat back into the pot. Stir in the frozen peas, carrots, and green beans, and allow to cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.

Copycat-Olgas-Peasant-Soup Veggies and Meat in Pot

Add the chicken broth, tomato juice, and zucchini stirring to combine. Stir in the dried thyme, oregano, garlic powder, salad supreme seasoning.

Copycat-Olgas-Peasant-Soup Broth in Pot

Increase the heat and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Stir in the barley. Reduce heat to low and simmer, cooking the soup for about 10 more minutes.

Copycat-Olgas-Peasant-SoupSimmering in Pot


Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add any additional seasonings, as desired. The longer you let the soup cook, the more flavor it will have.

Copycat-Olgas-Peasant-Soup in Bowl

Copycat Olga’s Peasant Soup can be table-ready in about 45 minutes, but let it cook all day and the soup will become so thick and flavorful!

Copycat-Olgas-Peasant-Soup Bowl with Snackers
Copycat-Olgas-Peasant-Soup in Bowl

Copycat Olga’s Peasant Soup

5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Sliced Gyro Meat (Beef and Lamb), diced
  • 8 cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 5.5oz cans Tomato Juice
  • 1 medium Zucchini, diced
  • 1 cup Frozen Peas and Carrots
  • 3/4 cup Frozen Green Beans
  • 1/3 cup Quick Cooking Barley
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion, diced
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1/4 tsp Thyme
  • 1/2 tsp Oregano
  • 1 Tbsp Salad Supreme Seasoning
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté store bought gyro meat over medium-high heat until slightly browned. Drain any extra grease/oil from the meat, transfer meat to a bowl.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, and sauté the diced onion and minced garlic for 2-3 minutes or until just tender and fragrant.
    Transfer the gyro meat back into the pot. Stir in the frozen peas, carrots, and green beans, and allow to cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth, tomato juice, and zucchini stirring to combine. Stir in the dried thyme, oregano, garlic powder, salad supreme seasoning.
    Increase the heat and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Stir in the barley. Reduce heat to low and simmer, cooking the soup for about 10 more minutes.
    Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add any additional seasonings, as desired.

Notes

*Prepared gyro meat has both beef and lamb in it. It can be purchased at Gordon’s Food Service, Costco, etc..
Keyword Beef and Barley Soup, Copycat Olga’s Peasant Soup, Gryo meat recipes, Olga’s Soup, Peasant Soup Recipe, Vegetable beef soup

Like this recipe? Try my Best of Both Worlds Broccoli Cheese Soup next!

Best of Both Worlds Broccoli Cheese Soup

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5 thoughts on “Copycat Olga’s Peasant Soup”

  1. The addition of the salad supreme seasoning is very interesting to me. I don’t have gyro meat, but I have ground lamb which I am fairly certain is what the restaurant uses, so I am going to use that.

    1. Sounds great! The gyro meat is a bit tricky to find, but I know Olga’s uses it in their sandwiches, so that is what I wanted to use. I’m sure it will be great. I like the salad supreme seasoning on my homemade snackers, and have always added the table seasonings they have there to my soup. It gives it a little extra punch of flavor! Best wishes for your soup!

  2. 5 stars
    Soup was perfectly delicious and just how I remembered it!!!

    Super easy to make. I improvise when I didn’t have the supremely salad spice. I used everything bagel seasoning and added the missing spices separately. It was awesome.

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