Mushroom Barley Soup (Printable)

Comforting soup with shiitake and fresh mushrooms, pearl barley, and vegetables in a rich broth.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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:

01 - Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let soak for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid, then 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, then sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in fresh white mushrooms and rehydrated 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 the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender.
07 - Remove bay leaves from the pot. Taste the soup 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 Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of dried and fresh mushrooms creates incredible depth of flavor that tastes like its been simmering all day
  • This soup comes together with simple pantry ingredients but delivers something that feels special and comforting
02 -
  • The mushroom soaking liquid contains so much umami flavor that straining it properly makes a huge difference
  • This soup continues to thicken as it sits, so you will almost certainly need to add more broth or water when reheating leftovers
03 -
  • Rinse the barley thoroughly until the water runs clear to remove any bitterness
  • Wait until the very end to add salt and pepper since the flavor concentrates during cooking
Return