Loaded with earthy mushrooms, tender vegetables, and chewy barley, this hearty mushroom barley soup has a rich, savory broth and just a touch of creaminess. It’s comfort food at its best!
This mushroom barley soup recipe is my take on the classic Jewish deli favorite. A combination of fresh and dried mushrooms gives the broth incredible depth, while pearl barley makes the soup satisfying enough for a meal. Carrots, celery, and herbs round out the flavors, and a little sour cream stirred in at the end adds just the right touch of richness. It’s perfect for chilly days, and the leftovers are even better the next day.
The inspiration for this recipe came from The Second Avenue Deli Cookbook, a wonderful collection of recipes and stories from the legendary New York deli. The book found its way to me last year when a thoughtful reader sent me a collection of his wife’s old cookbooks. I’ve treasured it ever since (thank you, Robert!).
What You’ll Need To Make Mushroom Barley Soup
-
Dried and Fresh Mushrooms: Dried mushrooms add concentrated, savory flavor, while fresh mushrooms give the soup a hearty, almost meaty texture. The dried mushrooms are rehydrated before cooking, and their flavorful soaking liquid is added to the broth. Use dried porcini or shiitakes and fresh cremini, button mushrooms, or a blend.
-
Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth provides the flavorful base for the soup.
-
Tomato Paste and Soy Sauce: Together, they deepen the broth’s savory flavor, with tomato paste adding a touch of sweetness and acidity and soy sauce providing an extra boost of umami.
-
Fresh Thyme and Bay Leaf: Add subtle, woodsy herbal notes that complement the mushrooms.
-
Pearl Barley: Gives the soup its signature chewy, hearty texture. Look for it in the rice and grains aisle, near the dried beans and lentils, or in the soup aisle. Be sure to use pearl barley rather than quick-cooking barley, which cooks much faster.
-
Carrots: Add sweetness and color. They’re added partway through simmering so they become tender without turning mushy.
How To Make Mushroom Barley Soup
Rehydrate the dried mushrooms: Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water until softened, then lift them out, roughly chop them, and strain the soaking liquid to use in the soup. Dried mushrooms can be surprisingly gritty, so be sure to strain the liquid carefully before adding it to the pot.
Sauté the vegetables and mushrooms: Cook the onion in the butter, then add the fresh mushrooms and cook until nicely browned before adding the garlic and celery. Give the mushrooms enough time to actually brown rather than just soften; those browned bits on the bottom of the pot are all good flavor that you’ll pick up when you add the broth.
Once the vegetables and mushrooms are sautéed, add the broth, rehydrated mushrooms and their strained soaking liquid, tomato paste, soy sauce, barley, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the barley is tender. Add the carrots partway through so they cook through without becoming mushy. Before serving, stir in the sour cream for a finishing touch of richness.
