Wholesome Mushroom and Barley Soup
I’m back on my soups and stews trend, for they make great leftovers and freeze well. This satisfying soup is full of aromatics and flavor. It has hearty mushrooms, healthy vegetables and tender barley. I love the color and texture and the extra finish with black garlic salt. And, if you like and have white truffle oil on hand, try adding a couple drops to each bowl. This wholesome soup is simple and filling.
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- 10 oz shitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, cleaned, about ¾ of them sliced & ¼ chopped
- 1 small to medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 8 oz white button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ cup diced tomatoes with juice
- ¾ tsp cumin, ground
- 1 tsp coriander, ground
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 7-8 cups stock (vegetable, chicken or beef)
- ¾ cup parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- Black garlic salt for finishing (optional)
In a large pot, heat 2 Tbs oil. Sauté shitake and sliced cremini mushrooms until mushrooms soften, about 5-10 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pot and set aside.
In same pot, add remaining oil and sauté onion, celery and carrot until onion has softened, about 5-10 minutes. Add chopped cremini and white button mushrooms and sauté another 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, and then add tomatoes, ½ tsp salt, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and barley. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
Add 7 cups of stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Then, cover and simmer on low heat until barley is tender and cooked through, about 45-50 minutes, adding more stock and adjusting spice amounts if needed. Once barley is tender, add the cooked shitake and cremini mushrooms. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes until mushrooms are warmed through. Remove from heat and combine in ½ cup of parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Finish individual bowls with small pinch of black garlic salt (and white truffle oil if you have it on hand.) Garnish bowls with parsley.
Serves 6-8. For leftovers, a splash of water may be necessary as barley continues to absorb liquid.
Nourish