Mushroom Barley Soup

Mushroom Barley Soup is a hearty and flavorful fall and winter soup. It's filling nutritious, vegan, and total comfort food. Enjoy a bowl and instantly feel cozy and warm.

Cooler weather always makes us start craving soup! There is nothing more comforting or nourishing than a hearty soup made at home. This Mushroom Barley Soup recipe is incredibly easy to make, and the results are delicious. Serve it alongside your favorite crusty bread, focaccia, or easy salad for the perfect weeknight dinner! The leftovers also heat up perfectly for lunch all week. Bon appetit!

Pearl Barley vs. Hulled Barley 

This vegetarian barley soup calls for pearl barley, just because it is easier to find, but you may also use hulled barley to increase the nutritional value of this soup.

Let’s back up a bit: what is barley? This nutritious, nutty grain is actually part of the grass family. It’s a whole grain that provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals, so it’s a great addition to a weeknight soup like this one.

Barley comes in two forms: pearl and hulled. Hulled barley is a whole grain that has had only the non-digestible outer husk removed, while pearl barley has all outer husk removed, and it's not a whole grain.

Pearl barley is lighter in color, and hulled barley is shinier and darker. Most of the time, the barley you find in the store is pearl barley. Pearl barley cooks faster (in 45 minutes or less), which is why most cooks prefer it.

Ingredients Mushroom Barley Soup

We love a simple ingredient list when it comes to soup. This recipe tastes incredible by itself, but it’s also a perfect base if you’d like to add your own spin to it! To start, we’re cooking with:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Onion, celery, garlic, and carrots - Sometimes called mirepoix, or Soffritto, this blend of aromatic veggies creates the perfect base for many soups.
• Mushrooms - The star of the show! We use Baby Bella, Portabella, or white mushrooms...or a combination of all three. Using different varieties of mushrooms is one of the secrets to a perfect mushroom soup!
• Salt and pepper - As always, adjust to your personal preference.
• Mushroom broth - This can be a little tricky to find! You can replace this with vegetable broth, or soak dried mushrooms (such as porcini or chanterelles) and use the soaking liquid instead of broth. Then you can add the soaked mushrooms to the soup for more texture and flavor!
• Pearl Barley - You can also use brown rice or farro if you prefer.

Vegan Barley Soup Recipe Variations:

• Use different types of mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster, or a combination of different mushrooms.
• You can even add some dried mushrooms for extra flavor.
• Add miso and soy sauce for a really flavorful soup.
• Add in any vegetables you have on hand! Zucchini, sweet potatoes, broccoli, or leafy greens like kale or spinach could be added in for unique flavor and texture.
• If your soup is looking too thick, try adding more broth for a looser soup. Start with a little bit and add slowly!

How to Make Mushroom Barley Soup 

One of the best things about a great soup recipe is how simple it is to make. Even the most novice of home chefs can make a really great soup! This recipe for barley soup is no exception. Start by heating olive oil and cooking the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic until the onion begins to soften. Add in the mushrooms and let them begin to absorb the wonderful flavors in the pan. Finally, add broth and barley. Bring the broth to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer and let the barley cook for about and hour or more, until the liquid is absorbed.

Tips for the Perfect mushroom Soup

• Make it your own! Soups are awesome for experimenting with seasonings and spices. You can add subtle flavors or up the heat if you like spicy soups.
• Enhance the flavor with a broth of your choice. You can use mushroom broth, veggie broth, or any flavor or variety you like.
• Enhance the flavor even more by addind miso paste and soy sauce to the mushroom barley soup.
• Use different types of mushrooms for a more complex flavor - We’ve detailed some of the varieties of mushrooms you might find in the grocery store below. Pick a new-to-you mushroom and give it a try!

Can You Freeze Mushroom Barley Soup?

What’s better than reaching 5:00 and realizing you don’t have to cook dinner because you already have delicious vegetable barley soup in the freezer? Absolutely nothing! Once cooled, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or you can pop the soup in the freezer. Make sure to leave some room in the top of the container for expansion! Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and you’re good to go.

Different Types of Mushrooms

This can get a little overwhelming because there are so many! There are a few more common options that you’ll find in the grocery store, though, and those work really well in this mushroom barley soup recipe.

• White button - This is one of the most common varieties! White button mushrooms have a mild flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked.
• Cremini - These are actually young portobello mushrooms! They’re sometimes called “baby bellas,” and can be used interchangeably with white buttons.
• Portobello - These are the HUGE mushrooms you’ve seen! They’re about the size of your palm, and have a dense texture that some people even use for grilling and in place of a hamburger.
• Shiitake - Shiitake mushrooms have a distinct woodsy flavor and the tops curl under a bit.
• Maitake - You may have seen these before and not even realized they’re mushrooms! Maitake mushrooms look a bit like brown cabbage.
• Oyster - Oyster mushrooms are usually seen growing on the sides of trees...and they’re absolutely beautiful! They look like little fans and taste great in stir fry.
• Enoki mushrooms - These long, skinny, white mushrooms are perfect for eating raw or dipping in your favorite sauce or hummus because of their catsifying crunch.
• Beech brown mushrooms - Tiny and brown, Beech mushrooms don’t taste very good raw, but once cooked they develop a more palatable nutty flavor.
• King Trumpet mushrooms - You’ve probably noticed the thick, hearty stem if you’ve ever seen one of these!
• Black Trumpet Mushroom - These are more exotic looking, and their distinct taste makes them feel special, too. Black Trumpet mushrooms have a rich, smoky flavor!
• Chanterelles - This expensive variety of mushroom is actually easier to find in the wild because they’re difficult to cultivate. They’re sweet and grow mainly in the winter!
• Hedgehog Mushroom - These are most often compared to Chanterelles, and they’re quite similar. Hedgehog mushrooms have a crunchy, nutty flavor.
• Morel mushrooms - This is another one that looks a little crazy! Morel mushrooms look just like a sea sponge.
• Porcini - These are easier to find dried than fresh! This is because Porcini mushrooms are quite rare with a short growing season.

More Vegan Soup Recipes

• Lentil Soup with Moroccan Spices
• Hearty, Comforting Vegetable Soup
• The Best Black Bean Soup
• Leek & Potato Soup
• Kale Soup with Cannellini Beans & Quinoa
• Turmeric Ginger Vegetable Soup
• Tomato and Rice Soup
• Comforting Red Lentil Soup with Fresh Fennel & Turmeric
• Moroccan Harira Soup

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