Mushroom Barley Soup (Printer View)

Hearty soup with shiitake mushrooms, pearl barley, and vegetables in rich broth

# Components:

→ Mushrooms

01 - 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
02 - 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

→ Grains

03 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 medium onion, diced
06 - 2 medium carrots, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Broth & Seasonings

09 - 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 2 bay leaves
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Method:

01 - Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let soak for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid, and slice the mushrooms. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to remove sediment.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add fresh mushrooms and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms to the pot. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until mushrooms begin releasing their liquid.
05 - Stir in pearl barley, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, and vegetable broth. Add bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
06 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley becomes tender.
07 - Remove bay leaves from the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dried shiitake mushrooms give this soup an umami depth that makes it taste far more complex than the ingredient list suggests.
  • It's forgiving and flexible, happy to absorb whatever vegetables you have on hand without losing its soul.
  • One pot, straightforward steps, and you end up with something that feels like a hug in a bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip straining the mushroom soaking liquid, even though it seems like extra work, because a single grain of sandy grit between your teeth will ruin an otherwise perfect spoonful.
  • The soup will thicken significantly as it cools because the barley continues to absorb liquid, so it's better to err on the side of too much broth than too little.
03 -
  • If you can't find dried shiitake mushrooms, dried porcini work beautifully and have a similarly robust flavor that transforms the entire soup.
  • Toast your barley in a dry pan for a minute before rinsing to bring out a subtle nuttiness that adds another dimension to the finished dish.
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