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I jump on any chance to make a hearty soup during the cooler autumn and winter months. It’s a fabulous way to use what you have left in the fridge and pantry of vegetables, legumes and grains. Of course, adding some fresh herbs and spices will take your soup from just an average meal to a gourmet experience.

The key to creating a flavorful broth is to pay attention to every step of the process. The same applies to the hearty mushroom and barley soup in today’s post.

While the soup is of Eastern European origin, barley is a common ingredient in my home country of Norway, as are mushrooms. I was also inspired because I’m throwing a cooking class at a local mushroom farm next weekend and have been immersed in mushrooms lately!

I like using a mixture of wild mushrooms but any kind you can get your hands on will work.

The key to getting the right texture of the mushrooms is to sauté them in a pan first to get a nice sear and texture, removing some of their water content and season them well. I add a couple of sprigs of fresh herbs like thyme, sage and/or rosemary, with a garlic clove and a dollop of both butter and oil.

After sautéing, remove them from the pan and set aside until you’ve prepared all the other ingredients.

I’m also using dried mushrooms in this recipe- a secret weapon in so many other recipes to create depth of flavor. I use it in stir-fries, breakfast scrambles, and frittatas to name a few dishes. You want to rehydrate them in hot water for 20-30 minutes and save the broth that you will add to the soup later.

The second secret is to add a little mushroom powder. Instead of using a vegetable bouillon (you can do this also), I add a little bit of this granulated, mushroom seasoning to the reserved liquid from the rehydrated mushrooms. It contributes so much umami flavor I never have any complaints from meat lovers.

This is the brand I have on hand, which I get from a local Asian grocery store:

If you can’t find it in your area, you can purchase it from this online link.

I had a leftover rutabaga in the fridge which I chopped up and added to the soup. Root vegetables adds that additional earthiness that mushrooms also bring. I imagine any other root vegetables would contribute the same flavor profile. Feel free to use turnips, parsnips or celery root to add even more heartiness to the soup.

Barley is not only a flavorful and healthy ingredient but also a sustainable grain you can feel good about adding to your diet! Use hulled barley, if possible, which contains the outer husk and is considered a whole grain and retains more of its nutrients than pearled barley, which has the outer husk removed.

Wine Recommendation

The wines of the Loire Valley are some of my favorite wines to pair with plant-based food. Their red wines are juicy with bright acidity, mellow tannins (mostly), and very pure in their varietal expression, allowing the more subtle plant-based foods to be the star.

Today I chose a wine from the Saumur region from the Puy-Notre-Dame appellation by producer Manoury. This interesting terroir is one of the driest places in France, and the wine here is known for its muscularity and aromatic complexity.

2017 Maunoury ‘Le Grand Champ Bourreau’ Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame

This wine is based on hand-picked Cabernet Franc grapes from a single vineyard, “Le Grand Champ Bourreau’ and is certified organic and biodynamic. Native yeasts is used and the wine is aged for about 9 months in tank.

Medium purple in color, the wine is intense and concentrated with lots of black plum and forest fruit along with the spices of autumn (cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg) on the palate, while maintaining a lightness and elegance so typical for the Loire region.

Interestingly enough, button mushrooms have been flourishing in the Saumur region for over a century, so it was only fitting to pair this wine with a dish based on mushrooms.

Other wine recommendations for this mushroom and barley soup could be a nice fruity Beaujolais, or a Pinot Noir from either Bourgogne or the Loire Valley.

If you’re into white wine, a German Riesling or a Meursault (creamy Bourgogne Chardonnay) would be a luscious pairing, too.

Try this soup out and serve them with my fabulous soft potato dinner rolls – you will be amazed at how much flavor can be produced from these humble ingredients!

Flavorful Mushroom Barley Soup

Makes 6-8 servings

6 dried shiitake mushrooms (about 1 oz/28 grams)
2 tablespoons mushroom powder/seasoning
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
6 sage leaves, sliced
3-4 sprigs thyme
8 oz (225 grams) oyster or baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
8 oz (225 grams) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped and divided
1 sprig rosemary, stem removed, leaves chopped
1 leek, cleaned, only white and light green parts, sliced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 small rutabaga, peeled and cubed small
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 cups (1.8 liters) mushroom broth (or vegetable broth0
1 cup (160 grams) hulled or pearled barley, rinsed
Handful of chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt, pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

First, soak the dried mushrooms in plenty of hot water, for about 20-30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a coffee filter to remove any dirt. Reserve the liquid and add in 2 tablespoons of mushroom seasoning*.

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large sauté pan, then add two of the chopped garlic cloves with the thyme sprigs and toast for about 30 seconds before adding the mushrooms and sliced sage leaves. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the mushrooms to a plate or sheet tray and set aside.

Clean out the pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon of olive oil, the 2 crushed garlic cloves, toasted coriander, cumin and fennel seeds.

Sauté for a few seconds before adding in the onions and leeks with a pinch of kosher or sea salt and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding in the carrots, rutabaga, and smoked paprika.

Stir to combine and then throw in the pearled barley, mushroom or vegetable broth and bay leaves.

Re-introduce the cooked mushrooms and let cook for about 30-45 minutes until the barley and vegetables are tender.

Season with additional salt and pepper, remove the bay leaves from the soup and serve with optional fresh, chopped parsley, a nice chunk of crusty bread or these potato rolls and a nice glass of wine!

*note; you can substitute the mushroom powder or seasoning for 1 bouillon cube or 1 tablespoon of vegetable seasoning.

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