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Γ—

Home Β» Kosher Soup Recipes

Hearty Mushroom and Barley Soup

November 19, 2020 by Ben

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This kosher hearty mushroom and barley soup recipe is one of our favorite to make during the fall/winter months. Fast, easy to put together, and it tastes amazing. We like to make this on those days when you want something filling and healthy. This recipe is kosher, vegan, pareve, and dairy free.

mushroom barley soup
Hearty mushroom and barley soup
Jump to:
  • Use Fresh Vegetables
  • A Meal In Itself
  • Tips For This Recipe
  • Which Mushrooms To Use
  • Variations and Suggestions
  • πŸ“– Recipe
  • Recipe Categories
  • πŸ’¬ Comments

Use Fresh Vegetables

As with most vegetable based dishes, the secret is to use fresh vegetables; frozen veggies simply will not do. The produce needed is easily found year round at any local market. To make this kosher mushroom and barley soup recipe you will need fresh:

  • Mushrooms
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Garlic
  • Onions
chopped veggies for mushroom and barley soup
Simple ingredients

A Meal In Itself

Mushroom barley soup is great as a meal or a side dish. The ingredients used in the kosher mushroom barley soup recipe are most of the same base ingredients used in a lot of roasts and heavier meat dishes. There are a lot of similarities in the flavors that go into mushroom based dishes and meat dishes. This is because mushrooms and meat share many of the same qualities. This is why mushrooms are often used as a substitute for meat.

The barley has a high fiber content which works to fill out the texture profile. Not to mention that the fibrous barley adds to the overall nutrition of the dish.

Tips For This Recipe

Mushroom barley soup is quick and easy to make. Start by chopping the vegetables and and saute in a large heavy bottom pan or better yet a cast iron skillet. Make sure you use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Also do not make the pan too hot, you don't want to burn anything.

sauteed veggies for mushroom and barley soup
Saute the veggies

Once the vegetables are tender toss them into the stock pot with the liquid and herbs and go watch a few hours of Mad Men (still Caryn's favorite show). Grab an Old Fashioned, sit back, relax, and after 2 episodes the soup is done.

Which Mushrooms To Use

When picking out fresh mushrooms for the kosher mushroom barley soup recipe there are just so many options. Even a local non-specialty market will have at least three to four varieties of mushrooms to choose from. How is one supposed to decide which mushrooms to buy? It will depend on your tastes. Here is a brief flavor profile of the most common mushrooms you will find in the grocery store:

white button mushrooms for mushroom and barley soup recipe
White Button Mushrooms
  • White button: your standard work horse mushroom that you are probably used to buying on a regular basis. They are usually sold in cellophane wrapped packages and will be pre-sliced or whole. This is a very mild mushroom that will not have as strong a flavor as some of the others on this list.
mushroom and barley soup recipe crimini mushrooms
Crimini Mushrooms
  • Crimino (Crimini pl.): a young portobello mushroom with a little bit more flavor than the white button mushroom. The flavor will be similar, just a little bit stronger.
portobello mushrooms for mushroom and barley soup recipe
Portobello Mushrooms
  • Portobello: the prime rib of mushrooms. A meaty texture and rich umami flavor make this mushroom a favorite when you really want to taste the mushroom. This mushroom is usually larger and you can buy it whole or just the mushroom cap. Either way, you will need to slice this one by hand to make it cook properly in the soup.
shitake mushrooms
Shitake Mushrooms
  • Shitake: smaller than the portobello (about the same size as the crimino), these mushrooms have lighter flavor but carry notes of woodsy oak. Use this mushroom if you want to vary the flavor profile slightly.
oyster mushroom
Oyster Mushroom
oyster mushroom 2
Oyster Mushroom
  • Oyster: this is the weirdest looking of the commonly found mushrooms. It looks kind of like a brown head of cabbage. This one will also need to be sliced before using it. Much like the shitake mushroom, this one has a very earthy flavor but it can be also be a little more gamy. This will also change the flavor profile but is well worth experimenting with.
  • If this list didn't provide a large enough selection of mushrooms to choose from you can also visit our Cooking Tips page for more mushroom suggestions.
mushroom barley soup pin
Pin this to your Soup Boards on Pinterest

Variations and Suggestions

This kosher mushroom and barley soup recipe tastes great using just the recipe provided but who doesn't like some variations. You can also try adding:

  • Chicken or beef
  • Sriracha to spice it up
  • Parsnips
  • Turnips
  • Beets
  • Shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
  • Serve the soup in a bread bowl

πŸ“– Recipe

Mushroom Barley Soup

Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup

Delicious hearty soup filling enough for a meal by itself or perfect for a soup course with your challah and dips.
5 from 16 votes
Print Pin
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Filling Soup, Hearty Soup, Mushroom Barley Soup, Pareve, Soup as a meal, vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Servings: 12
Calories: 114kcal

Equipment

  • 6 quart stockpot

Ingredients

  • 1 lb mushroom sliced
  • 1.5 cups onion chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • 1 cup carrot chopped
  • 4-6 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 quarts vegetable stock or water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ΒΌ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 2 tablespoon dill minced
  • 2 tablespoon parsley minced
  • 1 cup pearl barley
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Over medium heat, add olive oil to a 6- quart stockpot. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute until tender but not browned. Add mushrooms and cook until just soft.
  • Add stock, salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme, dill, parsley, and barley.
  • Simmer for 2 hours or until barley is tender.

Notes

Cut down the cooking time by soaking the barley for 2 hours before beginning the soup, then it need only simmer for about Β½ hour.Β 
The soup may be made up to 2 days in advance, keep refrigerated. When reheating extra water or stock may be needed as soup may become too thick.Β 

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 264mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1894IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Recipe Categories

9 Days Recipe Ideas, Healthy Eating, Kosher Dinner Recipes, Kosher Soup Recipes, Shabbat Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marilyn Lazarus Estreicher

    December 03, 2020 at 8:47 pm

    5 stars
    Love this soup so hearty and filling

    • Ben Schneider

      December 13, 2020 at 4:33 am

      5 stars
      Thanks πŸ™‚

  2. Althea Abstract

    December 08, 2020 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    Wow Delicious!

    • Ben Schneider

      December 13, 2020 at 4:32 am

      5 stars
      Thank you!

  3. Daniel Peikes

    December 08, 2020 at 9:24 pm

    5 stars
    Looks tasty. Great for a cold Chicago winter.

    • Ben Schneider

      December 13, 2020 at 4:32 am

      5 stars
      Thank you!

  4. Kerry lazarus

    December 16, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    5 stars
    This looks delish.
    I love the tip regarding soaking the barley first.
    πŸ‘

    • Ben Schneider

      December 17, 2020 at 1:01 am

      5 stars
      Thanks Kerry! I hope you will try it and then come back to let me know how you enjoyed it.
      -Caryn

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