Mushroom Barley Soup (Print View)

Comforting soup combining dried shiitake and fresh mushrooms with tender pearl barley in a rich vegetable 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 & 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl. Cover with 2 cups boiling water and 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 - In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery, then sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in fresh sliced mushrooms and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until mushrooms release their juices.
05 - Add pearl barley, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir in bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
06 - Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley reaches tender consistency.
07 - Remove bay leaves from soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It tastes like something from a fancy deli counter but costs a fraction of the price and takes less time than you'd think.
  • The dried shiitake mushrooms do most of the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so even if you're not confident in the kitchen, this comes out tasting impressive.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and dairy-free, but so hearty that meat-eaters won't feel like they're missing anything.
02 -
  • Straining the mushroom soaking liquid through cheesecloth or a fine sieve is not optional—even a tiny bit of grit will crunch between your teeth and ruin the whole experience.
  • Pearl barley absorbs liquid and softens over time, so if you're reheating leftovers and the soup seems too thick, add a splash of broth or water rather than assuming it's overdone.
03 -
  • Don't rush the initial sauté of your aromatics—those 5 minutes of softening vegetables is when most of your base flavor develops.
  • If you can find them, Japanese shiitake mushrooms tend to have more umami kick than Chinese ones, and it shows in the final soup.
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