An easy and quick recipe, this mushroom and barley soup is loaded with flavor and packed with all the vitamins and nutrients. Hearty and savory and totally plant-based, you can’t go wrong with this one!
Fall in New England is a beautiful sight to behold but sometimes, that cooler breeze pierces deep to the bone. On those crisper days, there’s nothing like a hot and hearty soup to thaw you out, am I right? This mushroom and barley soup is loaded with all the nutrients to help keep you full and flu-season ready.
The Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients to cook with . They have such a lovely taste and texture, and are extremely versatile. To enhance the taste of the soup, I sautéed them with the onions, garlic and olive oil first to sweat out their flavor.
In this recipe, we’re using a combination of shiitake mushrooms and baby bella mushrooms. However, you can certainly use any variety you like. For the fresh parsley, I measure a full cup of parsley leaves and then finely mince it.
Barley
While not grounded in science, there does exist a”carbophobia” trend globally. It’s detrimental because “carbophobia” pushes us away from some amazing whole grains like barley.
Whole grain barley is packed with fiber, manganese, and selenium. It’s also loaded with lignans which are a group of antioxidants that fight cancer and heart disease.
During the cooking process, the barley will drink swell as it absorbs the broth. For more broth and a soup texture, you may need to add more than the water amount suggested below. For a thicker soup, boil and reduce down until you get the desired consistency.
Tips for Parents with Kids
To our great surprise, our kids devoured this soup with no questions asked and no funny looks either. My kids are pretty plant-based but they still fuss about certain ingredients or vegetables. One of my tips in helping kids to eat more veggies is to dice up the veggies very small! They’re less likely to fuss if they can’t “see” the chunks in the soup.
This soup holds up very well in the fridge and freezer. It’s an awesome option for meal prepping because it’s easy to make in big batches. It’s also very allergen-friendly with no dairy or nuts. For a gluten-free option, simply sub out the barley with a gluten-free pasta option.
For more soup options, make sure you check out some of my other soup recipes:
- lentil soup
- my white bean soup
- and if you love Vietnamese, my vegan Pho
Mushroom and Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 4 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 8 oz whole grain barley
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 handfuls of spinach or baby spinach, diced
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups veggie broth
- 6-8 cups water
Instructions
- Start by washing, dicing, peeling and cutting all of your ingredients (onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery, carrots, parsley, spinach).
- In a big pot, sauté your onions, garlic and sliced mushrooms in olive oil for about 3 minutes or until your onions become translucent and the mushrooms have softened. Stir frequently so that they don't burn.
- Add veggie broth plus your diced celery, carrots. Bring to a boil and let your carrots soften for a few minutes.
- Then add all the rest of your ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 35-45 minutes or until your carrots have completely softened. Stir occasionally.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thewholescoopblog
