Mushroom barley soup is right near the top of my “comfort food” list. I remember my grandma making it when I was little (and she made the best soups). Sadly, I don’t have grandma’s recipe. She was a taste, toss, and stir sort of cook). Nothing was ever written down! My mom still mourns not having her recipe for pickles.
However, this Tori Avey recipe comes close. Grandma wouldn’t have used fancy mushrooms, so neither did I, but you can add them if you like.
Grandma was from Poland, and as Tori Avey points out, mushrooms were a popular food there because you could dry them and store them for later use. Barley also grew well in that climate, and could be dried and kept for the winter when other foods were less plentiful. Mushroom barley soup was popular throughout the whole country, but since observant Jews had dietary restrictions (no mixing milk and meat), there were two versions of this soup. One with just vegetables (which could be eaten with sour cream) and one with meat (more on that below).
There’s no meat in this recipe, but I did use chicken broth. If you want a vegetarian version, you can substitute mushroom broth or vegetable stock instead.
As is, there’ s not a lot of fancy ingredients, and it’s just the thing for a chilly fall or winter day when all you want to do is snuggle inside a warm blanket in front of a fireplace. And you haven’t got a fireplace!
Also, since I’m lazy about pot cleaning, I simplified it. Only one pot! Not two or three. And I made fewer servings, because 8 is too much!
Mushroom Barley Soup
Mushroom barley soup has no fancy ingredients, and very little fuss, Perfect for cold days when you want to snuggle in front of a fireplace (and don't have one).
Ingredients
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots, peeled and chopped (the baby ones are fine, just chop them in half)
- 8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until wilted and soft, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the carrots and mushrooms, spreading the mushrooms in one layer. Cook for two minutes, then flip the mushroom/carrot mixture and cook another two or three minutes until the vegetables start to caramelize and brown.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Now, add the chicken broth, barley, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for an hour until the barley is soft, but still chewy. Remove the bay leaf and serve.
Mushroom Barley Soup Substitutions and Variations
- use vegetable or mushroom stock instead of chicken
- add upscale dried or fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake or chanterelle
- try it with flanken (short ribs, or spare ribs cut sideways with little oval bones)
- deglaze the pan with a bit of sherry or white wine before adding the broth
More Mushroom Recipes
Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Sour Cream
Prepared with a rich, creamy sauce boosted by the bite of Dijon mustard and piquant capers —both of which complement the pork beautifully. Fancy enough for guests. Simple enough for an ordinary Tuesday.
Single Serving Chicken Recipe with Tarragon and Mushrooms
Tastes like you went to a fancy French restaurant, without the bill at the end of the meal. It’s ready in only 30 minutes. Sop up the buttery rich sauce with some crusty bread.
Chicken and Mushroom Skillet Recipe
The perfect answer to “I’m hungry and I want food now!” No marinating, no leaving overnight. And no separate sauce to make. The entire dish comes together in a single pan.
Pasta with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Chicken Sausage
When you’re hungry, pasta is your friend. Meaty mushrooms, sweet chicken sausage, and earthy broccoli are a great combination. Don’t have those exact ingredients? Mix and match with spicier sausage, asparagus, more bell pepper, or sugar snap peas.
