Delectable Mushroom Barley Soup
This easy mushroom barley soup is full of rich umami flavor from a mix of dried Porcini and baby Bella mushrooms, plus sauteed vegetables and lots of dried thyme. Chewy, whole-grain barley makes it filling and satisfying in a healthy, high-fiber way.
Whip up a pot of this delectable soup and serve it with a simple salad or some grain-free seed crackers for a delicious and cozy winter dinner.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed to make this mushroom barley soup. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Mushrooms. I highly recommend a mix of fresh Bella and dried mushrooms for maximum flavor. Porcini mushrooms have an especially rich, meaty, umami flavor. They’re also easy to mince and soften nicely in the soup. That said, if you prefer other dried mushrooms like Shitake, Maitake, or Morels, feel free to use them.
Stock. Use a good quality vegetable stock to keep this recipe vegan. I always recommend low sodium stock so you can control the salt content.
Thyme. The flavor of thyme complements the mushrooms. Dried thyme or fresh work equally well. If you use fresh thyme, you’ll need about twice the amount.
Barley. Look for whole-grain, hulled barley, vs. pearled barley, which is not a whole grain. Hulled barley takes longer to cook, but it’s higher in fiber and more nutritious.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute chicken or beef stock if you don’t need a vegan recipe.
- Substitute other varieties of dried mushrooms, like Shitake or Maitake mushrooms for the Porcinis.
- Use fresh white button mushrooms if you can’t find Bella mushrooms. I don’t recommend canned mushrooms.
- If you have fresh herbs, tie a bundle of fresh rosemary and thyme together and let it simmer in the soup. Remove the bundle and any stems before serving.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Soak the dried mushrooms. Add about one cup of hot (almost boiling) water or enough to submerge the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms sit for at least 15 minutes to soften while you prepare the vegetables.
2. Strain the dried mushrooms. Strain the softened mushrooms into a strainer lined with a coffee filter and reserve the liquid. Dried mushrooms are often gritty, so using a coffee filter catches any dirt or grit. Once strained, discard the coffee filter and rinse the mushrooms under cold water, then mince them.
3. Saute the vegetables. Place the minced Porcini and sliced Bella mushrooms, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in a stock pot with the olive oil. Saute the vegetables for about 12 minutes or until any liquid evaporates and the vegetables start to caramelize.
4. Add the mushroom and vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the barley, salt, and thyme. Let the soup simmer for about one hour or until the barley is tender. Taste and add extra salt or thyme if needed.
Expert Tips
Dried Porcini mushrooms usually soften in about 15 minutes, but other, tougher mushrooms may take longer. They will still soften as they cook, but they may be harder to mince if they are too hard.
This recipe calls for ½ cup of barley, which may seem like too little. You can add a bit more if you like, but note that barley swells a lot when it cooks, so don’t add too much!
Because this soup cooks for one hour, I recommend cutting your vegetables into larger pieces. Very tiny pieces will turn into mush if cooked too long.
If you refrigerate this soup, the barley will expand even more, and your soup may seem too thick. To thin it, add extra water or stock.
What to Serve with Mushroom Barley Soup
Serve this tasty mushroom barley soup with:
- Homemade grain-free six-seed crackers
- Sweet potato cornbread
- A fennel and orange salad
- Hibiscus iced tea
- A flourless chocolate torte for dessert
Recipe FAQs
Refrigerate leftover soup for up to three days or freeze it in an airtight container for up to three months.
The starch in barley can turn the soup slightly cloudy. To minimize this, rinse the barley well before adding it to the pot. You can also rinse and cook the barley separately and add it to the soup at the end.
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Mushroom Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 0.5 ounces dried porcini mushrooms or any combination of dried mushrooms like shitake, maitake, black trumpet
- 1 pound baby Bella (Crimini) mushrooms
- 3 medium carrots
- 2 medium celery stalks
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or low sodium chicken or beef stock
- 1/2 cup dried barley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Instructions
- Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl or large measuring cup and cover with about 1 cup of hot water. Let the mushrooms sit and soften for about 15 minutes.
- While the dried mushrooms soak, cut the vegetables. Slice the mushrooms and carrots, dice the celery and onion, and mince the garlic. Place the vegetables into a stock pot with the olive oil.
- When the dried mushrooms are softened, strain them in a strainer lined with a coffee filter, reserving the liquid. Rinse the strained mushrooms well in cold water to remove any sand or grit.
- Mince the softened Porcini mushrooms and add them to the vegetables in the stockpot.
- Heat the stockpot over high heat, and saute the vegetables for about 12 minutes, or until they wilt and turn light golden and any liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Stir frequently and reduce the heat to medium if the vegetables start to burn.
- Add the reserved mushroom liquid and the vegetable stock to the stockpot. Then, add the thyme and salt.
- Turn the heat to high, and bring the soup to a boil.
- Add the barley, and let the soup return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the soup, and let it simmer for 45-60 minutes or until the barley is tender.
- Taste and adjust any seasonings.