Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup (Print version)

Hearty deli-style soup with shiitake mushrooms, pearl barley, and savory vegetables for robust comfort.

# 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

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let soak for 20 minutes until softened. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid. Slice the rehydrated mushrooms and strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth 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 soften and become translucent.
03 - Add minced garlic to the softened vegetables and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant.
04 - Stir in fresh sliced mushrooms and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their natural 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 black pepper to combine thoroughly.
06 - Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pearl barley is completely tender.
07 - Remove bay leaves from the soup. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a real deli made it, but you're doing the work in your own kitchen without feeling stressed about it.
  • The dried mushrooms create this deep, almost meaty richness that makes vegetarian eating feel abundant rather than compromising.
  • One pot, one afternoon, and you've got enough to carry you through the week with something actually nourishing waiting in your fridge.
02 -
  • That mushroom soaking liquid is liquid gold—never throw it away, and always strain it because the grit settles to the bottom and will ruin your smooth soup experience.
  • Barley will keep absorbing liquid as the soup sits, sometimes turning it into something closer to porridge than soup, but that's actually wonderful if you reheat it with a splash of extra broth or water.
03 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the barley—it only takes 30 seconds under cold water and prevents that starchy, gluey texture that can make otherwise perfect soup feel like you made a mistake.
  • If you have access to fresh dill or parsley, add it as a garnish rather than cooking it into the soup, where it loses personality and just becomes green flecks nobody notices.
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