Creamy mushroom barley soup recipe is a hearty soup with robust flavors that canned soup cannot achieve. One of my favorites loaded with a fragrant woody flavor from the shrooms. It’s also low-calorie and makes a great vegetarian dinner choice. Serve with a simple cucumber tomato salad. Feeling festive, serve with a slice of Irish Brown Bread.
Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup
We are huge soup fans and this one is a favorite. When I am focusing on losing a few pounds, I eat more soup because it is filling and always delicious. This soup comes together quickly with just a few minutes of prep work. The mushrooms can vary to what you have on hand. I use white button most often because they are budget-friendly and easy to find.
Main Ingredients:
- Mushrooms: white button or baby Bella are the best for this recipe. They are inexpensive and flavorful.
- Barley: Barley is a hearty grain. No need to soak it before adding to the soup either. Just give it a rinse before adding.
- Milk: The recipe uses low-fat. You can use full-fat milk.
- Onions: Yellow onions add another level of flavor
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds umami to the broth.
- Herbs and Seasoning: fresh herbs are always welcome but dried can add great flavor too.
- Unsalted butter: not listed above, whoops.
How to make Creamy Mushroom Soup with Barley
- Melt butter in a stockpot. Saute mushrooms, onion, salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley for about 4 minutes to soften.
- Stir in flour and blend a minute to blend in flour to veggies.
- Pour in veggie stock, water, Worcheshire, barely, milk, and simmer for 35-40minute.
- Taste for seasoning, reseason if needed. Serve with optional garnish, chopped fresh parsley, or thyme.
Expert Tips and Facts
- The recipe uses 3 cups of mushrooms. The beauty of the recipe is it can use any combo of your favorite mushrooms.
- We use water or veggie stock for additional liquid, depending on what is in the pantry. When I use water, we let it simmer about 15 extra minutes and add a bit more herb to the liquid.
- If you want a dairy-free/vegan soup, use almond milk instead of milk. Also, use vegan butter.
Storage Tips
Creamy mushroom barley soup is a great make-ahead soup. The flavors blend after being in the fridge overnight. The soup can keep in the fridge, well covered for up to 3 days. Always refer to the USDA storage tips for specifics. I don’t freeze this soup because the mushrooms and the milk don’t freeze well.
Variations:
- For a more veggie-filled soup, add in diced carrots and celery with the mushrooms and onions.
- Portobello or crimini mushrooms would be a great choice for mushrooms.
- Swap shallots for the yellow onions.
- Vegan options: use vegan butter and almond milk.
Some other soups you may enjoy:
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
- Slow Cooker Manhattan Clam Chowder
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
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- Soup Pot: Love this one. Holds the heat well.
- Soup Bowls: White bowls are a personal favorite
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Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter Note 1
- 3 cups sliced button mushrooms Note 2
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon salt Note 3
- 1 teaspoon black pepper Note 3
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups 2% milk Note 4
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup barley, rinsed
- 1 Tablespoon Worscheshire Sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh thyme Note 5
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh parsley Note 5 additional fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium stockpot, over medium heat, add butter, let melt.
- Add in mushrooms and onions, saute about 5 minutes, to soften veggies.
- Season veggies with salt and pepper. Add in the flour and stir for about 1 ½ minutes to blend in the flour with the veggies.
- Pour in the veggie stock, milk, water, barley, Worscheshire Sauce, thyme, and parsley. Reduce heat to low. Cover pot with lid, simmer for about 30-35 minutes. Barley will be soft and cooked, flavors blended.
- Taste for seasoning, reseason if needed. Serve topped with fresh chopped parsley or thyme as a garnish.
