Ingredients
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil 27 g
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms 454 g; cleaned, dried and sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion 150 g; diced
- 2 medium carrots 150 g; small dice
- 2 stalks celery 100 g; small dice
- 3 cloves garlic 9 g; minced
- 3/4 cup regular pearl barley 150 g; rinsed; not quick or hulled barley
- 6 cups vegetable broth 1.44 liters; generic ready-to-serve broth used for nutrition; brand sodium varies
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 g
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 0.6 g
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice 15 g
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 8 g
Equipment
- Wide 5-quart heavy pot with lid
- Knife and cutting board
- wooden spoon
- fine-mesh strainer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Food thermometer For reheating leftovers
Instructions
Brown, simmer, and finish
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add half the sliced mushrooms in a loose layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes, allowing released liquid to evaporate and brown surfaces to develop. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of oil and mushrooms.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens. Add garlic, thyme, and pepper; stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Lower the heat if the pot begins to scorch.
- Pour in about 1/2 cup of the measured broth and gently scrape the browned bits from the bottom. Add the remaining broth, rinsed regular pearl barley, and browned mushrooms.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and partly cover. Cook for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender through the center with a little chew. Follow the package if its barley needs longer. Add hot water a little at a time if liquid gets low.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste before adding any optional extra salt. Divide the pot into six equal portions; add hot water if you prefer a thinner soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (1/6 batch)Calories: 182.986kcalCarbohydrates: 31.064gProtein: 5.737gFat: 5.187gSaturated Fat: 0.796gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.707gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.351gSodium: 750.002mgPotassium: 633.127mgFiber: 5.916gSugar: 5.383gVitamin A: 4948.019IUVitamin C: 8.094mgCalcium: 57.08mgIron: 1.584mg
Notes
Contains gluten. Regular pearl barley is required for the one-pot timing; cook hulled barley separately according to its package before using it.
Nutrition is estimated per one-sixth of the pot from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy ingredient weights. Generic ready-to-serve vegetable broth modeled at 1,440 g. Brands differ, especially sodium; optional extra salt, extra broth, and sides are excluded. No cooking nutrient-retention factor applied.
Cooking times are estimates and depend on pot width and barley package. Cool in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly; use soup within 3–4 days at 40°F (4°C) or below. Reheat to165°F (74°C).
