Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup Recipe

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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

1. Melt butter in a stockpot. Saute mushrooms, onion, salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley for about 4 minutes to soften.
2. Stir in flour and blend a minute to blend in flour to veggies.
3. Pour in veggie stock, water, Worcheshire, barely, milk, and simmer for 35-40minute.
4.  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

A creamy mushroom soup with a balance of texture from barley. A great soup for dinner with a slice of bread, serve with a side salad. Fancy enough for a holiday appetizer.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy mushroom barley soup, creamy mushroom soup, mushroom barley soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 185kcal

Author: Eileen Kelly

Equipment Needed:

Ingredients

• 1/3 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
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups 2% milk Note 4
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup barley, rinsed
• 1 Tablespoon Worscheshire Sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme Note 5
• 1 1/2 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 1/2 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.

Notes

Note 1: The soup is vegetarian. Vegan: use either vegan butter or oil instead of regular butter. Also, use almond milk instead of milk. 

Note 2: use white button or baby Bella or a combo of the two mushrooms.

Note 3: The recipe starts with 1 teaspoon of each. As the recipe simmers, you may need to add more seasoning. Always taste for seasoning as you cook. 

Note 4: Full-fat milk can be used. I don't use skim for this recipe as I don't enjoy the flavor of skim milk.

Note 5: If using dry herbs, use 1 teaspoon of each. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 581mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 439IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg

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