This pregnancy I’ve been having really weird cravings. I’ve been craving very to little meat, but my body (and mind) can’t get enough mushrooms. We have been going through so many each week. One of my biggest cravings has been mushroom soup. I bought homemade creamy mushroom soup from our local organic store a few months ago and since then my cravings for mushroom soup are still going strong. Although there creamy mushroom soup wasn’t heavy on the cream and mostly broth based I wanted to find a mushroom soup recipe I could make at home that didn’t involve any sort of cream.
I had mentioned to my mom I was craving all things mushroom and when we got to Minnesota for Christmas my mom had just made a homemade batch of mushroom barley soup. I fell in love with it. It tastes really indulgent but it is actually pretty healthy. It is my new go to mushroom soup recipes. If you are gluten free you can just omit the barley from the recipe or use another gluten free grain. I even think quinoa would be great in this recipe.
Served with some hearty bread this soup is comforting and amazing!
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Mushroom and Barley Soup
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced
- 8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 6 celery stalks, diced
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups vegetable broth (48 oz.)
- 1/2 cup barley
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Cook mushrooms, onion, carrot and celery in olive oil in large pot over medium heat, stirring often, until almost tender (about 10 minutes). Add garlic, thyme and bay leaves, cook stirring occasionally, until fragrant (about 4 minutes).
2. Add broth; cover and bring soup to a simmer. Add barley; cook until barley is tender, 35-45 minutes. Remove bay leave before serving and season with salt and pepper.
*If you love mushrooms, you can even add more! The soup is even better the second day once all the flavors have a chance to blend. The more the better in my mind!
This recipe is also toddler approved! Cameryn LOVES it!
You wont be sorry you made this awesome soup! It is great the first day, but it is amazing the second! It is a HUGE hit in our family and we will be making it again very soon!
