Mushroom and Barley Soup (Printer-friendly)

Earthy, comforting soup with tender mushrooms and chewy pearl barley in a savory vegetable broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 14 ounces mushrooms, sliced (cremini or button recommended)
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano

→ Grains & Liquids

09 - 2/3 cup pearl barley, rinsed
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 bay leaf

→ Seasoning & Garnish

12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
14 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional, for brightness)

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 6-8 minutes, until they release their moisture and begin to brown.
04 - Sprinkle in dried thyme and oregano, stirring to coat the vegetables evenly.
05 - Add rinsed pearl barley, vegetable broth, and bay leaf. Stir to combine thoroughly.
06 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until barley is tender and soup has thickened slightly.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice if desired.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been tending it all day.
  • The barley gets wonderfully chewy while soaking up all that deep mushroom flavor, making your digestion happy too.
  • It's the kind of soup that actually tastes better on day two, so meal prep becomes a win.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the barley, your soup will turn cloudy and starchy, which I learned the hard way on my second batch.
  • The soup tastes noticeably better the next day because the barley continues softening and the flavors deepen, so don't judge it solely on what's in your bowl right now.
03 -
  • Don't stir the soup too much once the barley is cooking, because aggressive stirring breaks down the barley and makes the broth cloudy instead of letting it stay clear and appealing.
  • If your mushrooms are very large, slice them thinner so they cook evenly and contribute their flavor throughout the pot rather than staying in chunky pieces.
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