Mushroom Barley Soup is a simple one pot soup made with pearl barley, mushrooms, onions, carrots and tomatoes. The dried herbs add a mild herby flavor, the barley gives a natural thickness and the mushrooms add a nice umami taste. The soup cooks until the barley becomes tender and slightly chewy. You can enjoy it hot or warm with a garnish of fresh herbs.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Soup, Starters
  • Cuisine: World

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon garlic (– finely chopped)
  • ½ cup onions (– finely chopped)
  • ⅓ to ½ cup carrots (– chopped)
  • ¼ cup celery (– chopped, optional)
  • 1 cup tomatoes (– chopped)
  • ½ cup or 100 grams pearl barley
  • 3 cups or 300 grams button mushrooms (– sliced or chopped)
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper (or ground black pepper)
  • salt (– as required)
  • 4.5 cups water (or low-sodium vegetable stock or homemade stock, can add as required)
  • fresh herbs (– mint, chives, parsley, cilantro or basil to garnish)

Method

  1. Rinse the pearl barley with fresh water a few times and keep aside.
  2. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pot and add onions, garlic, carrots, celery (if using) and a bay leaf.
  3. Sauté until the onions soften on a low to medium-low heat.
  4. Add tomatoes and mushrooms and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low to medium heat.
  5. Mix in the rinsed barley, dried herbs, black pepper and salt.
  6. Pour water or stock.
  7. Cover pan with lid and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes on medium-low or medium heat or until the barley becomes soft and tender.
  8. Check the soup a few times as it cooks. When the barley is nearly done, lower the heat so it doesn’t stick.
  9. If the soup becomes too thick, add ¼ to ½ cup hot water to adjust the consistency, but avoid adding too much as it can dilute the flavors.
  10. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot or warm.

Serving Tips

  1. Serve Mushroom Barley Soup hot or warm with a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
  2. Pair with toasted bread or a light fresh salad. Adjust consistency with a little hot water if the soup thickens.

Storage Tips

  1. Store in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. The soup will thicken, so add a splash of hot water or stock when reheating.
  2. Freezing is possible, but the barley becomes softer once thawed.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.