Mushroom Barley Soup Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Rinse the pearl barley in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Slice mushrooms, finely chop onion, dice carrots and celery, and mince garlic. Strip thyme leaves from stems and set aside; keep 1 whole thyme sprig if you prefer to use sprigs.

Sauté aromatics

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter foams. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften, about 6–8 minutes. Season lightly with a pinch of salt to help the vegetables sweat.

Add garlic and mushrooms

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the sliced mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, about 6–8 minutes. If using, add the white wine now and cook until mostly evaporated, about 1–2 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Add barley and liquids

Stir the rinsed barley into the pot so each grain is coated with butter/oil and mixed with the mushrooms and vegetables. Pour in the broth and add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Simmer

Once boiling, reduce heat to low to maintain a simmer. Cover partially with a lid and simmer gently until the barley is tender but still slightly chewy, about 35–45 minutes for pearl barley (if using hulled barley, plan for 50–60 minutes and more liquid). Stir occasionally and check liquid level; add up to 1 cup additional broth or water if the soup becomes too thick before the barley is done.

Season during cooking

About 10 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and add the measured salt and ground black pepper, adjusting to taste. If you prefer a deeper mushroom flavor, add a pinch more salt or a teaspoon of soy sauce or tamari.

When the barley is tender and the vegetables are cooked through, stir in the chopped fresh parsley and the optional lemon juice to brighten flavors. If the soup is thicker than you like, loosen with a splash of broth or water to reach desired consistency.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle each serving with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil if desired and garnish with additional parsley or a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread.