Mushroom Barley Soup (Print Version)

A warming bowl packed with earthy mushrooms, nutty barley, and vegetables in rich broth.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Mushrooms

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

→ Grains

03 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Aromatics and 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 and 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let soak for 20 minutes, then drain while reserving the soaking liquid. Slice the mushrooms and strain the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove sediment.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in fresh white mushrooms and sliced shiitake mushrooms. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, until mushrooms begin releasing their juices.
05 - Add pearl barley, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir in bay leaves, dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, and pepper.
06 - Bring 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 the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in about an hour and a half with minimal hands-on time, so you can actually relax while it cooks.
  • The dried shiitake mushrooms do most of the flavor work, meaning you're not stuck chopping a mountain of fresh ones.
  • This soup tastes even better the next day when all those flavors have had time to get to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip straining the mushroom soaking liquid; grit will make your soup feel grainy, and that ruins the whole experience.
  • The barley continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so if you're reheating leftovers and it seems thick, just splash in a bit more broth or water—it's not ruined, it's just resting.
03 -
  • Don't toss those mushroom stems—they're part of what makes the soaking liquid so flavorful, so include them in the bowl.
  • If you want the soup heartier, stir in diced potatoes or parsnips when you add the barley; they'll soften in the same amount of time.
Go Back