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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 (339g) Recipe makes 8 servings
Calories 203
Calories from Fat 116		(57%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 12.9g	19%
	Saturated Fat 7.6g	38%
	Monounsaturated Fat 3.3g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 30mg		10%
Sodium 737mg		30%
Potassium 618mg		17%
Total Carbohydrate 16.2g		5%
	Dietary Fiber 3.9g	15%
	Sugars 3.9g
Protein 8.3g		16%
detailed view... how is this calculated?

Rich Barley Mushroom Soup

Recipe #328708 | 1 hour | 15 min prep | add private note

⁽⁴⁾ RATE IT NOW Print Recipe

By: moramor
Oct 3, 2008

This is one of the best soups I've ever made and it is even worthy of company. So simple, yet rich in deep, mushroomy flavor. The inspiration was zaar #26877, a delicious Mushroom Rice Casserole. I found I couldn't stop eating the liquid before putting the casserole into the oven and that gave me the idea that the base would make a delicious soup. And it does! Use PLENTY of fresh mushrooms. I buy them when they are marked 1/2 price at the grocery, as this is a good way to use your 'shrooms that are starting to get dark. It is the soy sauce that transforms the broth from ho-hum to YUM. I try to use low sodium or home-made no sodium chicken broth so that I can use the soy for the sodium. There is no sense of "asian" in this soup at all. ( I would not make this without the soy. ) Just a little bit adds the depth of flavor and even color that transforms the soup. Notes: 1. If you want to make it into "cream of" just add some evaporated milk...delicious. 2. Once I broke up a leftover ground sirloin burger into my soup bowl and nuked it...was that ever good. 3. I did do this recipe with sinewy beef scraps cut from a roast once. I browned the beef in the bottom of the pan, added the butter and onions and continued as written. The beef added great color and flavor. In this case, I threw the beef piece away, because it had too much sinew, but it was a great addition! I ended up using less soy. 4. I have eye-ball made this soup with amounts I had in the fridge/cupboard and it was great. So if you don't have that many mushrooms, make it anyway, just keep tasting it until it tastes good to you! 5. I've made it without food-processing the onions, and that worked just as well. Lots of flexibility here! Try it, it might be the best barley mushroom soup you've ever had!

SERVES 8 -10 , 2 1/2 quarts (change servings and units)

Ingredients

2 medium onions, minced in food processor
1 1/2 cups celery, very finely chopped
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup barley
2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
1 quart chicken broth (I use homemade or low sodium canned)
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce, more as needed
ground black pepper, to taste
sour cream, with
dill (for a fantastic garnish)

Directions

1
In a soup pot on med heat, melt 1 stick of butter and add celery and onions to sweat until translucent. (I use the food processor for my onions because I don't actually want the onion pieces -- I pulse it until it's a rough puree (just past finely chopped).
2
Add in the barley (I didn't use quick barley, but I'm sure you could). Stir a few minutes.
3
Add in all of your mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have gotten dark and given up a lot of their liquid.
4
Add in the chicken broth.
5
Add the soy sauce and taste. If it's not salty enough, add soy sauce 1 tsp at a time until you like it. (A little goes a long way. Taste soup before and after adding the soy -- you won't believe the difference!).
6
Simmer on stove until barley has totally expanded. I think the soup may even be better the next day, but it's certainly a quick soup that could be made and served within 45 minutes. Probably less if you use Quick Barley.
7
Add black pepper to taste and tweak with more soy, as needed.
8
Sour cream and dill are a great garnish, but not necessary.
9
Prep and cooking time are estimates, but it shouldn't take longer than that.
10
Soup can thicken a lot overnight to almost a stew like consistency. I usually add more broth (or water) and check soy and pepper before serving.

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Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: I'mPat

On May 12, 2009

I scaled this back for 5 serves (for 3 persons as a main with crusty bread) and planning on serving it in 2 serves but for the second serve I had to had another 400ml of chicken broth or I would just have had solids. A thoroughly enjoyable meal all round, thank you moramor, made for I Recommend Tag Game (recommended by Katzens).

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From: Katzen

On Apr 10, 2009

This was SO yummy! I used button, cremini, and portabella mushrooms, and used homemade vegetable stock which was made with added mushrooms as well. I'll definately be making this again - thanks for the awesome recipe! Made for PAC Spring '09.

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From: schtop

On Mar 1, 2009

I just made this soup on a snowy afternoon. It was OFF THE HOOK delicious!!!! I added flanken meat to it, made it a beef barley mushroom soup. The onions, I practically pureed and absolutely added such amazing flavor. I dropped a splash of sherry and doubled the recipe. My husband attacked and there is nothing left. I thought the soy sauce was unusual but it tasted delicious. Highly recommended.

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From: Acadia

On Jan 4, 2009

This soup is true comfort food at its best. We are all big mushroom fans so this was a much anticipated soup meal this afternoon. I added the dill into the broth rather than garnishing it with it. This recipe was tagged for the "Belly Warmers: Soups And Stews - January Event!" Thanks for posting!!

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