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Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Soup

Mushroom Barley Soup is one of my absolute favorite soups because it’s healthy, plant-based, and filling. This is a super easy “dump and cook” recipe. All it requires is a little prep work (unless you buy pre-chopped vegetables)!

Overhead view of mushroom barley soup in white bowl with spoon on black background

Homemade Mushroom Barley Soup

I really love this mushroom barley soup because it ticks all the boxes: it’s plant-based (eat more veggies!), it’s so easy, it’s fast, and it’s tasty!

I really love soup, especially when it’s chilly or cold outside. Soup just warms you up from the inside out. And healthy soups like this mushroom barley soup recipe prove that comfort food can be good for your body and soul!

This soup easily serves as a fast dinner or lunch. Just add some crusty bread or a nice big salad, and it’s total perfection!

If you’re looking for a meatier option, try my Easy and Hearty Beef Barley Soup recipe, but trust me; these mushrooms pack in a ton of meaty flavor and texture while keeping this recipe vegan- and vegetarian-friendly!

Key Ingredients

There are only 5 major ingredients in this Mushroom Barley Soup recipe, plus water (can swap for chicken stock, if desired), thyme, a bay leaf, salt, and pepper — all of which you probably have in your pantry.

  • Mushrooms: One and a half pounds may sound like a lot, but it’s one of the two key ingredients in this soup, and they’ll cook down a lot as they lose their moisture. I like to use baby bellas, but go with your preference. Buttons would also work well here.
  • Pearled Barley: This really adds body to the soup, especially when made ahead, as the soup will thicken naturally over time because of all the starch in barley.
  • Tomato Paste: This adds so so much flavor! No need for chicken broth, vegetable broth or any pre-made broth because this lends a ton of flavor!
  • Onions: I like to use yellow (they virtually go with anything and are widely available) or sweet onions in my soups because I love their sweet taste compared with other varieties.
  • Carrots: You can use any kind – I used baby carrots (chopped) because I keep them on-hand for snacking.
  • Celery: Adds so much flavor and are a vital part of the classic mirepoix (pronounced meer-PWAH).

I used a 1:1:1 ratio for the mirepoix. To make things even easier, you can consider use pre-chopped veggies found at most grocery stores.

What’s Pearled Barley Anyway?

There are two major types of barley: pearled (also called pearl barley) and hulled (also called pot barley, which will take much more time to cook).

  • Hulled Barley: Also called “pot barley”, this is considered the whole grain version because it has only the outer husk removed while the bran is kept intact; this results in a longer cooking time compared wit pearled barley but it can be shortened by soaking for several hours before cooking (although if using an Instant Pot, it’s only about 5-10 minutes longer).
  • Pearled Barley: Also referred to as “pearl barley,” this type of barley has had the outer husk and bran removed, making it perfect for thickening up soups, and it cooks much quicker than hulled barley. Pearled barley is widely available at most all grocery stores.

You may use either version of barley; each has its pros and cons. Hulled barley is more nutrient dense and is the whole food form, but it will not lend as much thickening power and it takes a little longer to cook. Furthermore, pearled barley may be more widely available. I used pearled barley because it helps thicken the soup and because it is what my local store sells.

What Are the Best Mushrooms for Mushroom Barley Soup?

I used baby bellas for this Mushroom Barley Soup, which are small portabella mushrooms (also referred to as portobellos or portobellas). These contain less moisture than white mushrooms (ie, small button mushrooms), and are loved for their very meaty flavor.

Whichever type of mushroom you use, make sure to give them a through rinse to get rid of any dirt or debris left on these fantastic fungi.

How To Make This Homemade Mushroom Barley Soup Recipe

This recipe is ridiculously easy to make any night of the week, especially if you have an Instant Pot.

You can also make it on the stove top or in a slow cooker (see complete directions in recipe card below).

  • Prep the Veggies: Dice your onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms.
  • Add all ingredients to Instant Pot: Add water to your Instant Pot, along with the tomato paste, chopped veggies, barley, and dry seasonings. Give it a quick stir with a large spoon, and then seal the Instant Pot and set for manual pressure for 20 minutes.
  • Quick Release: When the soup in finished cooking ,use the quick release feature to release the steam from the InstantPot. Allow it to release naturally.
  • Serve: Remove the bayleaf, ladle into individual bowls, and enjoy!
a close up of mushroom barley soup in pot

How To Thicken Mushroom Barley Soup

The easiest way to let this soup thicken up is to let it sit and do it’s thing (assuming you used the pearled barley not hulled/pot barley). This soup thickens over time. If it’s too “brothy” at first, simply pour out a bit of the broth and set aside. But don’t toss it! You may need it later.

Barley is said to soak about about 3 times its weight and so for every cup of barley that you are cooking, about 3 cups of liquid will be absorbed.

What To Serve with Mushroom Barley Soup

When it comes to brothy soup, you need to serve it with some crusty bread to absorb all that liquid and add some much-needed crunch. Try some homemade 5-Minute Bread or sourdough bread (Tartine Bread).

Craving a lighter side dish to accompany this hearty barley soup? Opt for a big side salad packed with lots of fresh veggies.

And you can always take this soup up a notch by sprinkling some sharp white cheddar cheese or freshly grated Parmesan on top before serving. Delish!

Storage and Freezing

Store this soup for 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.

Over time, barley continues to soak up the liquid. So, for storage, I recommend either straining out or simply pouring off the majority of the broth into a separate container.

This will prevent the complete absorption of the liquid by the barley, which could make the barley mushy and also result in a soup without broth!

More Soup Recipes To Try

If you’re a soup fanatic like I am, you’ve got to try these other homemade soup and stew recipes:

How To Make Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Soup

📖 Recipe

overhead view of mushroom barley soup with grated cheese in while bowl with spoon

Easy Delicious Mushroom Barley Soup

This super flavorful Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Soup is packed with veggies and extremely filling — perfect for any night of the week!
5 from 1 vote
Author: Marie
Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 127 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1.5 cups celery diced
  • 1.5 cups carrots diced
  • 1.5 cups onions diced (I like to use yellow or sweet onions)
  • 1.5 pounds mushrooms chopped (I used baby bellas; use what you enjoy)
  • 2.5 quarts water
  • 6 ounces tomato paste (small can) (see notes for substitutions)
  • 3/4 cup pearled barley uncooked
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • grated cheese (parmesan) optional, for serving

Instructions
 

For the Instant Pot:

  • Chop up vegetables (onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms.)
  • Add 2.5 quarts of water to your Instant Pot along with the tomato paste, the chopped veggies (ie, onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms), the barley, and the seasonings (ie, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf).
  • Give it a quick stir with a large spoon, and then seal the Instant Pot and set for manual pressure, 20 minutes. No need to distribute the tomato paste, it'll dissolve/distribute during cooking.
  • Use the quick release feature, when the soup in finished cooking to release the steam from the Instant Pot.
  • Remove bay leaf and top with grated cheese if desired.

For Stovetop:

  • Chop up vegetables (onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms.)
  • Add 2.5 quarts of water to the pot along with the tomato paste, the chopped veggies (ie, onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms), the barley, and the seasonings (ie, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf).
  • Stir everything together, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally throughout cooking.
  • Remove bay leaf and serve with grated cheese if desired.

For Slow Cooker:

  • Chop up vegetables (onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms.)
  • Add 2.5 quarts of water to the slow cooker, along with the tomato paste, the chopped veggies (ie, onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms), the barley, and the seasonings (ie, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf).
  • Stir everything together, cover the slow cooker, and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for about 8 hours.
  • Remove bay leaf and serve with grated cheese if desired.

Notes

This recipe calls for pearled barley (also called hulled or pearl barley); if you are using pot barley, which is the whole grain form, add 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time in the Instant Pot or on the stove top. 
May replace tomato paste with soy sauce (or tamari) (3 tablespoons) and dry sherry (4 tablespoons), which is what the famous Moosehead mushroom barley soup includes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 127kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 800mgPotassium: 710mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 4429IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg
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