Very Mushroomy Mushroom Barley Soup
A hearty cold weather soup for mushroom lovers.
This Very Mushroomy Mushroom Barley Soup is for serious mushroom lovers. It’s more like a stew, actually, so dense is it with mushrooms and those lovely chewy nubs of barley. If you make it ahead, or if you have leftovers, you will notice that it continues to thicken when it cools, especially when refrigerated. The barley and even the mushrooms will keep absorbing the liquid, so you’ll want to add more liquid when you reheat it. You could do broth (vegetarian broth makes this a vegetarian soup), but the flavors are pretty rich and deep, so plain old water might be better, to lighten things up a bit.
You can absolutely use button mushrooms, available packaged in every supermarket, but many markets are also now carrying a wide range of the more exotic varieties, either packaged or in bulk. You can combine as many different types as you like in this recipe.
The dried mushrooms as another layer of mushroom flavor, as does the liquid they are soaked with. You can use any type of dried mushroom here, from porcini to shiitake to oyster to a mix—there are some nice dried mushroom blends on the market.
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Types of Readily Available Mushrooms:
Creminis: Also known as baby portobellos, these are widely available, and very sturdy. They are still mild in flavor, , but a b it more interesting than plain old button mushrooms.
Portobellos: This mushroom is actually a very mature button mushroom, with a fully grown out cap. The portobello has a meaty texture, great for grilling, and portobello “burgers” are a vegetarian’s good friend come summertime.
Shiitake: This is a favorite of mine, often called for in Asian recipes. They are savory and meaty, and have a lot of umami punch.
More Recipes with Mushrooms:
- Pork Schnitzel with Sautéed Mushrooms
- Beef Brisket with Wild Mushrooms
- Chicken with Mushrooms in Cream Sauce
- Creamy Mushrooms with Marsala Crostini
- Sesame Asparagus and Shiitake Mushrooms
- Braised Chicken, Mushrooms and Baby Artichokes
- Big Biscuit with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms
Very Mushroomy Mushroom Barley Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooking Time: 1 hours, 10 minutes
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 16 ounces 1 cup hot water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 10 cups sliced and roughly chopped mushrooms, any type
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 8 cups less-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup pearl barley
- Sliced scallions and chopped fresh parsley to garnish
1. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover them with the hot water. Let soak for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and finely chop t he soaked mushrooms. Return them to the liquid.
2. Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir until the have become tender, and any liquid that they released has evaporated.
3. Stir in the flour and stir for one minute until it is well distributed. Add broth and increase the heat to high. When the soup is simmering add the barley to the soup. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time. Check the seasonings towards the end and add salt and pepper if needed.
4. Serve hot, with scallions and parsley sprinkled on each serving.
