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
NOTES
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.
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
Karen says
Loved this soup, it’s the best mushroom barley soup I’ve ever made. It IS just like in the deli. I used veggie broth with some parve chicken bouillon for flavor. I couldn’t find any dried mushrooms so I left them out. Used half button and half cremini mushrooms. Delish!
Lizzy Z says
This recipe is friggen excellent! My polish babcia (grandma) used to make a barley soup and needed to have some this winter. Thanks Tori!
Beth Baradyn says
My husband and I are crazy about this recipe, I’m simmering some right now. Since we are mushroom lovers, I tried oyster and crimini in this last batch (our 3rd) otherwise I haven’t changed the recipe a bit. It smells amazing, can’t wait for dinner!
Tori Avey says
You just reminded me about this recipe. It’s finally cold here in Los Angeles, I will have to whip up a batch myself!
Cheryl Mae says
I made this with a big container of baby bella mushrooms. I added a few shakes of thyme and used no oil and subbed vegetable broth. Finished in my Crock-Pot. Yum.
Annemarie Conrod says
I just made this soup today. It’s very tasty,hearty and healthy! I love i,thanks for sharing!? Annemarie Conrod.
Debbie says
Just made this soup. DELICIOUS. Did not have the shiitake mushrooms, oh well. Made a mistake and used 1 1/2 cups barley, oh well. Added water. Added fresh thyme, 2 small twigs. Sautéing the mushrooms is the trick. Gives the soup a richer taste.
Love all Tori’s recipes.
Susan says
It’s rare that I take the time to leave a review for a recipe. But this is outstanding. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I’m sitting here eating it now and it’s exactly what I was hoping for.
Dorinda says
Wow what a nurturing soup! I used dried porcini and fresh maitake mushrooms because they work well with my blood type. I also used “Better than Bouillon-vegetable” for the stock. Everything else I did as suggested. Very flavorful and just makes me feel good. Thank you for sharing
Tony says
I used Pacific Mushroom broth and fresh shiitakes instead i am pressed for time! I will let you know turnout . Letting barley cook .
Trudy says
I was craving a delicious bowl of good Mushroom Barley Soup. I’m not sure what everyone else did differently to enjoy it, but this recipe turned out very bland. Even adding kosher salt didn’t help. A lot of expense and effort for a disappointing soup. Hoping the flavors might meld over night. Thanks anyway.
Abby says
Could I use vegetable broth instead?
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
Hi Abby, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. Yes, vegetable broth would be fine.
Diane says
Can I freeze this in a vacuumed sealed bag of will the barley absorb all the broth.
Tori Avey says
It should be fine in a sealed bag, Diane. If you need to you can add some water to reconstitute as you reheat it.
Gail Ostrow says
Made it today and served for dinner to two old Chicago Jews and two New York Jews and it was absolutely the best ever outside of a Jewish deli or Ratner’s in NYC. I will definitely make this again and again, and I buy dried shiitake mushrooms online.
Sue Levine-Kelley says
The soup is simmering now and smells out of this world! The only small addition I made is deglazing the pan after searing the mushrooms with about 1/2 cup of stock. I couldn’t leave all those beautiful brown bits and coating without adding it to the soup.
EternalMyrtle says
I like this idea. Deglazing with sherry or white wine would probably be good, too.
Eileen says
My husband is crazy about any and all foods with mushrooms, and this recipe is a new favorite. He had two full bowls as soon as I was done cooking it! I omitted the celery and added more carrots in its place. My husband truly dislikes celery. I was afraid it would change the flavor profile and the soup would not be as good, but we both loved it as we do all of your recipes, Tori!
Julie says
I can’t find dried shitake mushrooms at our local stores. Can I use fresh shiitakes instead?
Ashley at ToriAvey.com says
Hi Julie, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. I would not recommend using fresh mushrooms in this recipe. The dried mushrooms lend a richer flavor to the broth for this soup.
Madeleine Reinstein says
I couldn’t either and made it without, still tasted great!
Debra Yeska says
I did not add the dried mushrooms either but I did add a packet of mushroom gravy instead! 😉 I figured it would give me the flavor I might be missing! Haha! Tasted great!
Vera says
I was very disappointed and thought it had no taste. Had one bowl and thre the rest out.
Tori Avey says
Sorry to hear that Vera! A lot of my readers swear by the recipe, but I suppose it can’t be to everybody’s taste. Better luck next time!
marge201 says
You could have added spices. All that effort and you threw it out. Wow.
amanda partlo says
Amazing! No changes needed!
Shelley Tayrlo says
Has anyone tried freezing this soup? Looks great!
Maria Beltran says
I’ve frozen this recipe many times before, it thawed out nicely and tasted just as good as freshly cooked.
amanda says
This recipe is the bees knees! Didn’t have enough chicken stock so I added in a little veggie stock as well. Soooooo good. Thank you. 🙂
Erik says
I always used to love beef barley soup when I was a kid, but I’ve since gone vegetarian. So I made a vegan version of this using vegan “beef” flavored soup base, and I’m very pleased with the results!