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+ servings
Spoonful of mushroom barley soup in a bowl

Mushroom Barley Soup

Mushroom Barley Soup is a rustic, comforting vegetarian soup packed with mushrooms, veggies and hearty pearl barley.  It's easy to make and it's perfect for meal prep!
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup pearl barley
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 small carrots chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lb. cremini mushrooms sliced; sub with your favorite variety of fresh mushrooms
  • 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce see notes
  • 2 sprigs thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

Stove top instructions:

  • Cook the barley according to package instructions. This takes roughly 30 minutes, and may be done in advance.
    3/4 cup pearl barley
  • In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and sauté 5-8 minutes until the onion is translucent and the vegetables have softened. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes or until their liquid has evaporated.
    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 small carrots, 2 stalks celery, 3 cloves garlic, 1 lb. cremini mushrooms
  • Add the broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Add the barley, salt and pepper to taste, and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    6 cups low sodium vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper
  • Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Serve and enjoy!

Instant Pot instructions:

  • Do not pre-cook the barley in this method! Press the Sauté button and add the olive oil to the Instant Pot. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, and cook 5-8 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Add the broth, barley, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste and stir well.
  • Secure the lid and close the venting valve. Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 20 minutes. Note: It will take the Instant Pot 10-15 minutes to come to pressure before the cooking process begins. When the cooking process has completed, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, and stir well.

Notes

  • Pro tip:  Prepare the pearl barley in advance to make this recipe go even more quickly. 
  • Dried mushrooms may be used for even more flavor.  Use 1-2 ounces of dried porcini mushrooms or your favorite, and soak until softened.  Strain out the grit, chop the mushrooms and be sure to add the liquid to your soup!
  • Worcestershire sauce adds savory depth of flavor.  Soy sauce, coconut aminos or tamari may be substituted.
  • Store mushroom barley soup in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. I love using Souper Cubes!

Nutrition

Calories: 121kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 52mg, Potassium: 404mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 2131IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!