Best Recipe for Mushroom and Barley Soup
Rich, hearty, and savory, this best recipe for mushroom and barley soup relies on several umami ingredients, including dried porcini mushrooms and their reserved liquid, to make it anything but boring. And it tastes even better the longer it sits!
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 cups reserved porcini liquid + water See recipe instructions
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided (2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons)
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 and ¼ teaspoons kosher salt divided (½ teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon)
- 2 celery ribs sliced thinly
- 1 carrot peeled and sliced thinly
- ½ large yellow onion peeled and diced
- Ground black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4-5 sprigs of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- ¾ cups quick pearled barley rinsed (Note 1)
- Fresh thyme leaves minced
- Italian flat-leaf parsley minced
Instructions
- Soak porcini in very hot or boiling water for 15 minutes, using just enough water to cover them. Remove the porcini individually and place them on a paper towel to absorb excess water. Pour the liquid from the bowl through a mesh strainer set over another bowl. The mesh strainer will catch any sediment, and the bowl underneath will fill with the reserved porcini liquid.
- Pour the reserved porcini liquid into a 2-cup measuring cup. Fill the rest with water until you have 2 cups. For example, if the porcini liquid amounts to ½ cup, fill the remaining 1 and ½ cups with water. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-low to medium heat. Cook the cremini mushrooms and softened porcini mushrooms for about 10 minutes or until golden, stirring often. Season them with ½ teaspoon salt and transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Cover and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and toss in the celery, carrot, onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, and some black pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add the garlic during the last 3 minutes or so of cooking time.
- Stir in the smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves, and stir continuously for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the beef broth and reserved porcini liquid/water mixture. Bring to a boil, then stir in the barley and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook the barley for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
- Return the mushrooms to the pot and heat through for a minute or two. Remove the thyme sprigs, and finish the soup with fresh thyme leaves and parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Note 1: Adjust the cooking time if using pearled barley (the non-quick-cooking variety).
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 1216mg | Potassium: 1257mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2740IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
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