Mushroom Barley Soup (Printable)

Hearty deli-style soup with dried shiitake, fresh mushrooms, and pearl barley in savory vegetable broth.

# Components:

→ Mushrooms

01 - 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
02 - 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

→ Grains

03 - 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed

→ Aromatics and 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 and 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

# Method:

01 - Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let soak for 20 minutes, then drain while reserving the soaking liquid. Slice the rehydrated mushrooms and 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. 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 the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until the 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 pepper to combine.
06 - Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the barley reaches full tenderness.
07 - Remove bay leaves from the pot. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dried shiitakes create a savory depth that makes you feel like you've been simmering this for hours when it's actually quite quick.
  • It's naturally vegetarian but tastes so hearty you won't miss anything, and it's the kind of soup that gets better as it sits in the fridge.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, and you'll have leftovers that reheat beautifully for lazy lunches.
02 -
  • Don't skip straining the mushroom soaking liquid through cheesecloth or a fine sieve—grit from dried mushrooms is real and feels terrible between your teeth.
  • The soup thickens as it cools and sits in the fridge because the barley continues absorbing liquid, so don't panic if it looks thin while hot; when you reheat it tomorrow, add extra broth or water to get back to the consistency you want.
03 -
  • Keep the heat low once you add the broth and barley—a rolling boil will make the barley release too much starch and turn the soup cloudy and thick instead of brothy and clear.
  • Taste the soup when the barley is almost done (around 50 minutes) rather than waiting until the end, because salt is harder to remove than to add, and you want to catch it at the right moment.
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