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You are here: Home / Recipes / Polish Mushroom Soup with Barley

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Polish Mushroom Soup with Barley

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This creamy, mushroom soup transports me right back to my Polish grandmother’s house on Christmas Eve.

How totally glad are you that it’s soup season?  It’s the only thing I absolutely love about cold weather, and since I’ve moved to Arizona, I find that my soup season is way too short. Not that I’m complaining – I’ll take hot weather and cold food for 9 months, and warm weather and warm food for 2 months. That still leaves one whole chilly month for soup, and folks — it’s officially time to heat up the stockpot.

When I was young, my grandma always made Polish mushroom soup for Christmas Eve, and one of my biggest regrets is that I never asked her to write down her recipe. How I would love to open my cookbook to see her handwriting and make her soup… although, I’m sure my version would never taste quite the same, because hers was always made with real dried mushrooms that were mailed to her each year from Poland.

Polish Mushroom Soup with Barley|Craving Something Healthy

Well, I took a stab at recreating her recipe using dried Porcini and shitake mushrooms, as well as some fresh baby Bellas. Of course, I had to boost up the veggies with lot of carrots and celery, and to make it extra hearty, I added some barley (isn’t soup the most delicious way to get a mega-dose of veggies and grains?!). The thing that makes this Polish Mushroom Soup – and not just mushroom barley soup is the sour cream, and a little bit of fresh dill. Do. Not. Skip. This!

Polish Mushroom Soup with Barley|Craving Something Healthy

OK, so it’s not exactly the same as the one I had growing up, but it’s really good. And each slurp transports me right back to Christmas Eve at grandma’s house.

I’m honored to share this recipe as part of the Casual Veggie collaboration. The Casual Veggie is a fabulous e-cookbook collection of 166 vegetable recipes by some 48 equally fabulous food bloggers, and I’m thrilled to be included! Please check it out – it’s full of delicious inspiration to help keep you eating healthy through the holidays, and all year long.  AND – it makes a great holiday gift for anyone who loves (or wants to love) vegetables, in any way, shape or form.

The Casual Veggie Cookbook

I really hope you have some time to pull up a chair, grab a bowl and spoon, and savor the other wonderful warming soup and stew recipes below  brought to you by some of the bloggers whose recipes are featured in the cookbook. If you’d like more information on the Casual Veggie Cookbook and how to download it, hop on over to the website or click on the image above.  Happy slurping!

The Delicious Balance, Butternut Squash Soup 

Pumpkin and Peanutbutter, Cauliflower Leek Soup with Crispy Brussels Sprouts

A Southern Grace, Chili Out

Where is My Spoon?, Sunchoke Soup with Bacon 

Family For Health, Lime Coconut Fish Soup with Acorn Squash

Key Ingredients, Slow Cooker Bund Lentil Soup

Jeanie and Lulu’s Kitchen, Root Vegetable Stew

Polish Mushroom Soup with Barley|Craving Something Healthy

Polish Mushroom Soup with Barley

Craving Something Healthy
a rich, hearty holiday traditional soup
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Course dinner
Cuisine polish
Servings 8
Calories 241 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ounces dried mushrooms Porcini, Shitake, Morels, etc
  • 1 medium onion minced
  • 8 ounces baby Bella Crimini mushrooms, minced
  • 4 large carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 large celery stalks diced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 16 ounces mushroom broth reserved from soaking the dried mushrooms, or from a carton
  • 32 ounces low salt chicken broth or vegetable
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking barley
  • 2 tablespoon fresh dill minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Rehydrate the dried mushrooms for about 30 minutes, in 2 cups of hot water. Drain them reserving the soaking liquid. Mince them and place them in a stock pot.
  • Add the onion, fresh mushrooms, carrots and celery to the stockpot, along with the 4 tablespoons of olive oil, and saute the vegetables over medium-high heat for about 5 -7 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, and stir to coat. Cook the vegetables for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the broths, and bring the soup to a boil.
  • Reduce the eat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  • Add the barley, and simmer for another 10 minutes or until barley is softened. If you are using regular barley instead of quick cooking, it will take an extra 20 minutes or so.
  • When barley is softened, add the herbs and remove from the heat.
  • Place the sour cream in a measuring cup of bowl, and add 1 ladle of hot soup to the sour cream. Mix well to warm the sour cream, and add another ladle of soup.
  • Add the warmed sour cream to the pot of soup and stir well to combine.
  • Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Notes

Reheat any leftover soup gently, on medium heat so the sour cream doesn’t curdle. Low fat sour cream may curdle when reheated.
Keyword holiday, soup

What’s your favorite soup? Creamy or brothy?

Eat well!


18 Comments

About Craving Something Healthy

Anne Danahy MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and a freelance content writer who specializes in women's health and healthy aging. She lives in the Scottsdale area and eats wherever good food is found.

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Comments

  1. Suzanne says

    March 18, 2020 at 11:34 am

    This look so good! I love mushrooms but get stuck with what to do with them! This is a great option and the barley makes it more robust.

    Reply
    • Craving Something Healthy says

      March 18, 2020 at 1:42 pm

      Thanks for visiting Suzanne! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  2. Ginny Basak says

    December 20, 2017 at 6:55 pm

    I am hosting 10 guests for the tradional
    Polish Christmas Eve dinner. How many servings will this recipe make?
    It looks deliciou

    Thank you so much for a reply

    Reply
    • Craving Something Healthy says

      December 20, 2017 at 8:45 pm

      Hi Ginny,
      This recipe makes about 10 cups, so if you’re serving it as a small side (we used to eat it as a first course), I would say about 8-10 small servings. It is a thick soup, so you could also add a bit more chicken stock to thin it out and extend it more. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

      Reply
      • Ginny Basak says

        December 21, 2017 at 3:21 pm

        Thanks so much..the soup will be followed by herring, fried white fish, pierogi with caramelized onions and sour cream, a fresh arugula salad , a fruit salad.
        dessert is kolachki cookies and angel wings

        Wish me luck n getting everything on the table hot!

        Thanks again Happy Holidays

        Reply
        • Craving Something Healthy says

          December 22, 2017 at 1:03 pm

          That sounds perfect! Takes me right back to my grandma’s dining room table! Best of luck and Happy Holidays 🙂

  3. Meal Makeover Mom Janice says

    December 21, 2015 at 2:36 pm

    When I saw your recipe and photo I got up from my desk and looked in my pantry to see if I had dried porcini mushrooms and I have a 3-ounce bag. Guess what I am making soon? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Anne says

      December 21, 2015 at 3:06 pm

      Ha Ha! I always keep a bag in my pantry too Janice! I love the flavor and you never know when the mood (or a good recipe) will strike! Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  4. Deanna Segrave-Daly says

    December 18, 2015 at 2:06 pm

    I love the backstory to this recipe – what a wonderful tradition you are continuing on with this soup ((and I’m sure your grandma would not mind that it’s not exactly the same.) Pinning this one as I love love mushroom soup!

    Reply
    • Anne says

      December 19, 2015 at 3:08 pm

      Thanks Deanna! I always miss those family traditions around the holidays. Hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!!

      Reply
  5. Adina says

    December 17, 2015 at 1:36 am

    I love the thought of 9 months hot and 2 months warm weather. I wish I had that as well. The soup looks delicious, I know I would love it.

    Reply
    • Anne says

      December 17, 2015 at 12:27 pm

      Thanks Adina! I’ll take warm or hot weather over cold any time! Thanks for visiting 🙂

      Reply
  6. Leigh Suznovich says

    December 15, 2015 at 4:16 pm

    Oh, my proud Polish husband will love this soup! Can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
    • Anne says

      December 15, 2015 at 5:36 pm

      Thanks for visiting Leigh! And I hope he loves it 🙂

      Reply
  7. Allie says

    December 15, 2015 at 3:20 pm

    Oh my this looks so yummy. I love mushrooms ans this winter soup looks like a recipe I need to try

    Reply
    • Anne says

      December 15, 2015 at 5:37 pm

      Thanks so much Allie! I’m a major fan of mushrooms too 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  8. Crusty Curmudgeon 1 says

    December 15, 2015 at 1:56 pm

    Your recipe calls for 8 cups of broth. I only see 6 cups listed. Should I increase the chicken broth or should I use additional water for the mushrooms.

    Reply
    • Anne says

      December 15, 2015 at 2:10 pm

      Hi! I use 2- 32 oz. cartons of broth – one chicken flavor and one mushroom flavor. If you can’t find the mushroom flavor, you can substitute another 2 cups of chicken, beef, or vegetable broth plus the water used to soak the mushrooms. Just make sure you drain it through a coffee filter, because often dried mushrooms are sandy or gritty. Sorry for the confusion!

      Reply

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I'm Anne Danahy, a Scottsdale, AZ-based registered dietitian and integrative nutritionist who specializes in women's health and healthy aging. I'm hooked on cold brewed coffee, and I'm equally happy with dessert or a creative salad. Come visit my kitchen and let's make something delicious today!

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