I was on a college road trip when I had my first taste of Mushroom Barley Soup. My friends and I stopped at a roadside deli—I wish I could remember the name of the place. What I do remember is that piping hot bowl of delicious soup. It was love at first bite.
You can find this soup on most Jewish deli menus. The dish has roots in the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Eastern Europe. Mushrooms were popular in these cold-weather countries because they could be harvested, dried, and stored for later use.
In my friend Etti Hadar’s family memoir, her Polish uncle Dov Levin talks about how his mother used to string up rows of mushrooms with a thread and needle in the attic. They would hang the mushrooms near the chimney; the heat of the stove would dry them out faster that way.
Barley was also plentiful and easy to grow in the Eastern European climate, making it a common addition to hearty winter dishes like soup and cholent. Barley’s history goes back even further; in fact, it is arguably the world’s first and most ancient cultivated grain. It is also one of the Seven Species mentioned in the Bible.
Ever since that fateful college road trip, I’ve worked on creating my own soup recipe to achieve what I consider the perfect balance of mushroom barley flavor. I’ve stuck to simple, natural ingredients.
Inspired by Uncle Dov’s memoir, I added dried mushrooms with their soaking liquid to the broth, along with fresh mushrooms seared golden brown. The combination adds complex flavor to an otherwise simple soup. A long, slow simmer reduces the broth, making the soup thick and rich.
This robust, filling soup makes a hearty lunch or dinner on a chilly autumn day. Despite being “comfort food,” it is surprisingly healthy. Barley is rich in dietary fiber and selenium. The grain also contains beta glucan, a complex sugar that can help to lower cholesterol. Enjoy!
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Mushroom Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 3 quarts chicken or mushroom stock (low sodium okay)
- 1 1/4 cups pearl barley
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 dried shitake mushrooms
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery, including leaves
- 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 pound white mushrooms, scrubbed and sliced
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pour chicken or mushroom stock into a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Stir in the barley, add the bay leaves, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered. Set your timer for 2:15 (2 hours 15 minutes) starting now.
- While the soup simmers, place dried mushrooms in a separate small saucepan. Add 3 cups of water to the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water boils, remove saucepan from heat and let the mushrooms soak for 20 minutes.
- Drain the mushroom water by straining it through a coffee filter (use a mesh strainer or colander to hold the filter). Reserve the mushroom water.
- Chop the soaked, softened mushrooms into small pieces and reserve.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion to the skillet and sauté till softened.
- Add the celery and carrots and sauté for 5 more minutes till everything is browning and starting to caramelize.
- Add the soaked chopped dried mushroom pieces and crushed garlic, sauté for 2 more minutes. Your kitchen should smell really good right about now!
- Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Pour the strained mushroom broth into the skillet, bring to a boil, stir. Cook for 2 more minutes till mixture is hot and bubbly. Add the contents of the skillet to the simmering stockpot with the broth and barley.
- Without rinsing the skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat, tilting to coat the bottom of the pan. Spread half of the sliced white mushrooms in a single layer at the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and turn heat to high. Let the mushrooms sear without stirring.
- After 2 minutes, stir the mushrooms continuously for another 1-2 minutes until they are seared golden brown and shrink to about half their size.
- Pour the seared mushrooms into the soup pot. Heat the last 1 tbsp olive oil in the skillet and repeat the process for the remaining mushrooms. Add the rest of the seared mushrooms to the soup pot, stir to blend all ingredients.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer. Let the soup cook uncovered until your timer goes off (2 hours 15 minutes total cooking time), or until the barley is completely tender and the soup is nicely thickened. Add water during the simmer if the soup becomes overly thick. At the end of cooking, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
NOTES
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
Other Great Recipe Ideas
In Erika’s Kitchen: Winter Greens Soup with Mushrooms
The Pioneer Woman: French Onion Soup Stuffed Mushrooms
Simply Recipes: Mushroom Risotto
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Chicken Barley Soup
Weelicious: Barley, Chicken and Broccoli Salad
Never made any soup like this or tasted any either but it looked so wonderful I had to try it for myself! I absolutely loved it!
Great Lori! It’s such a great meal as the colder weather approaches.
So I went to my pantry did not have barely! Sooo I don’t want to run to the market? I’m hoping the French lentil a suitable substitute… Wish me luck!
Hi Tori.
Greetings from Chicago! Autumn always brings me into the kitchen and today I decided to make this mushroom barley soup. In fact, I just finished my first bowl. Absolutely delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly except for the dried shiitakes. All I could find was a medley of assorted dried ‘shrooms from Trader Joes but they worked just fine. Thank you for a delicious recipe. It was fun looking at the pictures while replicating on my own stove. I will make this again!
Thanks for reporting back Joanne!
I can’t find dried shitake mushrooms locally. Can you suggest an alternate type of dried mushrooms to use instead – for example dried Boletus mushrooms? Thank you.
I think boletus are the same as porcini… at least, I’m pretty sure. If that’s the case, then you can definitely use them! Every different mushroom will have a slightly distinct flavor, but most will work as long as the flavor is not too terribly strong/overpowering.
Making this soup now, need something healthy, nourishing and sort of soft after suddenly getting a tooth out yesterday. Also added 1T tomato paste, and some za’atar and hawayj (which I noticed on your Yememite soup, love hawayj but not always easy to get here). Also added 2 cans of rinsed small white beans. Already tastes great although the barley needs to cook more. Love your recipes. Let us all know when what you are directing or writing for will be on tv or elsewhere….very impressed!
We are in the midst of a cold winter here in southern australia, so i thought to try your recipe. After polishing off a huge bowl, i have to say its amazing.So tasty and all the flavours are distinct but then combine wonderfully. Thankyou
Great Hila! I hope to visit Australia soon… maybe when it’s winter here and summer there! 🙂
I am making this now. I made a few alterations since I am a bit lazy and quartered and sauteed two kinds of mushrooms in the soup pot after sauteing the celery/carrot/onion/ginger combo in the same pot and removing. I also cooked the barley for an hour and 15 minutes total in the broth (added a smoked turkey leg for a bit and the removed) and then added the mushrooms and carrot/celery/onions/ginger back in pot with barely one-half hour before the barley would be done. I tested the barley after an hour and it will be done with the rest of the party! It looks great. I really think your idea of cooking the barley in the broth separate was the key to not having soggy barley with the rest of the soup. Thanks a million!
Made this today, following the recipe exactly, except I only had 10 oz of baby portobellos, so I used those instead of 1lb white mushrooms. Very good. My husband said it was spectacular. Thank you for sharing!
Made this on Friday. AH-MAZE-ING! I am ridiculously excited that I found your blog. I have never been dissapointed with one of your recipes. I have the hamantaschen dough chilling in the fridge now…can’t wait to fill em and bake em when I get home from work today!!
Recently made it and it was amazing! Followed your reciepe and it was out of this world. Such comfort food! Raved about it so much that so many people took the reciepe to make it too! Thanks for all your great hints, ideas and great flavors! Truly look forward to your emails! Granddaughter is coming to stay and cannot wait for her to taste it too! Very satisfying and makes a great meal with a salad and perhaps a vegetable side dish and your done! Thanks again!
Terrific Victoria, thanks for writing!
I think I’ll give this a try tonight. This cold midwest weather calls for a nice hot soup and this should do the trick.
OMG….I just tasted the soup. It is amazing. It is so refreshing to be able to get recipes from you and have them turn out so good!
Aww, thanks Dave! I really work hard to make sure my recipes are reliable and foolproof. Getting feedback like this makes my day.
I just made this soup and it is so delicious!! Thank you 🙂
If you use 1 oz of porcini mushrooms (do exactly what you did with the shiitake) your soup will taste like it’s a beef mushroom and barley soup. Leave out the celery and garlic and add a little soy sauce at the end. Oh yeah, lots of pepper. Also, cooking time doesn’t have to be more than 25 minutes. Best to eat the next day. The recipe I use is from Mark Bittman and has never disappointed. If I have room I’ll paste below…
Notes:
I find that mushrooms and shallots make a superior soup base compared to the standard carrot-onion-celery mirepoix when one is making a vegan soup; caramelizing a couple of Tbs of tomato paste in that before adding liquid gives another boost. (All of this adds the umami factor that is often missing in vegan soups.)
Mine includes a small amount (4 tablespoons) of dry sherry.
Note from Tori: I removed the recipe from this comment due to copyright laws. I am linking to it instead for anybody who is interested: http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/recipe-of-the-day-mushroom-barley-soup/
Any suggestions to make this gluten free? Sounds so delicious! Love the blog, thank you so much for all your great recipes and stories and history!!
Hi Ang! You could try omitting the barley, cooking the soup as written with only mushrooms and the other vegetables. Then add 1 1/4 cups rinsed quinoa to the pot about 20 minutes before the end of cooking. Reduce the broth till the soup is thickened. I haven’t tried it, but I’m guessing it would work! If you give it a try, let me know. 🙂
The lady with mushroom allergies and everyone else for that matter, might try large dried Lima Beans. They give a texture and thicken the soup too. I start with Water and Telme Israeli chicken or beef bullion instead of ready made stock. You can also put 2 medium peeled potatoes, quartered into the soup as it is simmering. Again, it thickens the soup and so this (and yours) is a soup that “grows” as it cooks!
Thanks for a terrific recipe. The addition of my Lima’s and Potato are Litvak (Polish/Russian/Lithuanian) in origin and a favorite of my Bubbe.
I love barley in soups and this looks so comforting and delicious!
I made this today and it was so fantastic, it will definitely be a staple in our winter diet from now on! I added no salt to the mushrooms or at the end and it was still plenty salty. A high 5 for this one, thanks so much.
High five! 😉
I love your recipes! Was just curious about the ‘uncovered’-ness …. I always cover the pot when making a soup … won’t the liquid evaporate if left uncovered? Thanks so much 🙂
My mom always used beef stock and a bay leaf. This is one of my favorite soups along with split pea.