Earthy mushrooms, chewy barley, and a rich, savory broth come together in this comforting mushroom barley soup. It's nourishing and filling without being heavy and perfect for cozy meals. Ready in about 50 minutes.
Just like Mushroom-Barley Pilaf, mushroom barley soup can earn a permanent spot in your cold-weather rotation if you like earthy flavors.
It's right up there with classics like Vegan Split Pea and Barley Soup, Vegan Miso Soup, Vegan Broccoli Soup, and Vegan Lasagna Soup, soups you come back to again and again when you need real comfort.
This whole foods favorite bubbles away doing its thing, fills your kitchen with the best smells, and somehow tastes even better the next day. Real ingredients, real comfort, and no weird stuff required.
Serve it with crusty bread and a squeeze of lemon (because if you know me, you know everything gets lemon), and call it a day.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Hearty and filling without being heavy
- Made with simple, everyday ingredients
- Cozy, comforting, and perfect for cooler days
- Great for leftovers and meal prep
- Easy to make and flexible with what you have
- It's made with whole foods, and it's nourishing
Ingredients
Sherry: If you don't want to buy sherry just for this recipe, sub with dry white wine or more vegetable broth. You can also add a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar or marsala wine.
Mushrooms: You can use cremini, button, shiitake, or a mix of whatever small mushrooms you have on hand.
Broth: I use Better Than Bouillon in all my soups and stews. It adds such a good flavor, and I can easily tailor the veggie depth I want.
Pearl Barley: You can find pearl barley at Whole Foods and many major grocery stores. You can also find it on Amazon. You can use hulled barley, but it will take longer to cook.
See the printable recipe card for quantities and a full ingredient list.
Variations
- Add potatoes
- Stir in fresh greens such as spinach, kale, or escarole, like my Lentil Vegetable Soup.
- Add a tablespoon of soy sauce or miso at the end for a bigger umami kick
- Make it thicker by reducing the liquid slightly by a cup
How To Make Mushroom Barley Soup
See the complete printable recipe card below for the details.
Step 1: Cook the Barley - In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of pearl barley with 4 cups of water and cook.
Step 2: Sauté Aromatics - While the barley cooks, heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Brown the Mushrooms - Increase the heat slightly and add the sliced mushrooms to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Toast the Tomato Paste - Push the vegetables to the side and cook the paste for about 1 minute to deepen its flavor.
Step 5: Add Liquids & Barley - Stir in the vegetable broth, cooked barley, dry sherry, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Step 6: Simmer - Bring the soup to a gentle boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Step 7: Uncover & Check - Uncover the pot and stir the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Step 8: Serve - Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh oregano, and serve warm with crusty bread. Add a splash of lemon juice for freshness.
Top Tips
- Slice mushrooms evenly, so they cook and brown properly. They are sold already sliced in the vegetable department at major grocery stores.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with crusty bread or a warm baguette
- Pair with a simple green salad with Homemade Italian Vinaigrette
- Add a drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving
Mushroom Barley Soup FAQS
Yes. This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes. Let the soup cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently. You may need to add extra broth or water to reach your desired consistency. For best results, cool the soup completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers, leaving a bit of room at the top for expansion.
Looking For More Mushroom Recipes?
Don't leave me hanging - drop a comment and tell me how this Mushroom Barley Soup turned out! Was it love at first bite? Surprisingly edible? Or a full-on yuck. And if my directions helped (or didn't), please let me know so I can continue to improve these recipes for you.
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Recipe Card
Mushroom Barley Soup
Equipment
- large pot
- Medium Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry pearl barley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 medium celery stalks chopped (150 grams, or heaping cup)
- 5 small carrots sliced (180 grams, or heaping cup)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pound mushrooms 450 grams sliced or roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 ½ cups vegetable broth or mix about 2 tablespoons of Better Than Bouillon vegetable-base paste with 5 ½ cups of water.
- ¼ cup dry sherry or see substitution in the post
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 - 1 ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- fresh oregano leaves for garnish
- lime or lemon juice and crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- Cook the barley: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of barley with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. It will still be a bit firm. Drain any excess water.
- Sauté the vegetables: Meanwhile, chop the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Note that the carrots will still be firm.
- Brown the mushrooms: Increase the heat slightly and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms begin to brown.
- Add the tomato paste: Reduce the heat back to medium-high. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot to create a clear space in the center. Add the tomato paste directly to the open spot and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. This allows the paste to caramelize slightly, deepening its flavor and mellowing its acidity. Then stir it into the vegetables and cook for another minute until everything is well combined and fragrant.
- Build the soup: Add the vegetable broth, sherry, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and cooked and drained barley. Stir to combine.
- Simmer: Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until barley and carrots are tender.
- Season and serve: Adjust salt and black pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh oregano, and serve warm with crusty bread. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice, if desired.
Regi Pearce says
Made a big batch over the weekend and I've been living off the leftovers all week. The flavor just keeps getting better.