Mushroom Barley Soup (Printable Version)

Rich, comforting soup with shiitake and fresh mushrooms, pearl barley, and vegetables in savory broth.

# List of Ingredients:

→ 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

# How to Make It:

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, then sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in fresh sliced mushrooms and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until mushrooms begin releasing their natural juices.
05 - Add pearl barley, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir in bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
06 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley reaches tender texture.
07 - Remove bay leaves from soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort but feels lighter than cream-based soups, so you don't feel heavy after.
  • The dried shiitake mushrooms do something almost magical—they create this umami depth that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • One pot, minimal fuss, and it actually gets better the next day when the flavors deepen.
02 -
  • Don't skip straining the mushroom soaking liquid because even a tiny bit of grit will ruin the texture—I learned this the hard way after getting a mouthful of sand.
  • The soup thickens as it cools and even more as it sits in the fridge, so if you're serving it the next day, you'll probably need to add more broth or water to get it back to the right consistency.
03 -
  • Don't rush the shiitake rehydration step—20 minutes matters because it gives the mushrooms enough time to fully soften and the soaking liquid enough time to extract their depth.
  • If you have time, sauté the mushrooms in a separate pan first until they release some of their moisture, then add them to the pot—it deepens the flavor even more.
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