Vegan Mushroom Barley Soup
Vegan mushroom barley soup is an easy Instant Pot or stovetop recipe combining simple and healthy plant-based ingredients in a savory broth with no cream or added oil.
Servings: 8
Calories: 127kcal
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot 6 quart or larger
- 1 large soup pot or Dutch oven if using stovetop method
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried porcini mushrooms diced (see note 1)
- 1 medium onion diced, (1 ½ cups)
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced (1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery diced, (1 cup)
- 16 ounces mushrooms (see note 2
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup barley (see note 3)
- 7 cups vegan beef broth or vegetable broth (see note 4)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce use Tamari for gluten-free
- 2 medium bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Dice the dried mushrooms, add them to a small bowl, and cover them with 1 cup boiling water. Set aside.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and heat it. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook the ingredients for about 3 minutes, stirring to prevent them from sticking. Add water a tablespoon at a time if needed.
- Mix the fresh mushrooms with the rest of the vegetables and cook them until they soften and release their moisture.
- Turn the Instant Pot off. Add the dried mushrooms and their soaking water. Then add the thyme, garlic powder, barley, broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Mix all the ingredients using a wooden spoon or non-abrasive utensil to sweep the bottom of the pot.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the steam handle to Sealing. Select High Pressure for 25 minutes and turn off the Warming setting.
- After the Instant Pot has finished pressure cooking and the beeper has sounded, leave it alone for 15 minutes (nature pressure release).
- Manually open the steam release valve and let the pot de-pressurize. Then, remove the lid.
- Stir the soup, then taste the barley to ensure it is tender. Season with additional soy sauce or salt/pepper as desired.
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot to medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté the vegetables for 3-4 minutes until they soften. Stir frequently. If they start to stick, add water a tablespoon at a time.
- Add the fresh mushrooms and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until they soften and release their moisture.
- Add the thyme, garlic powder, barley, broth, soy sauce, bay leaves, and dried mushrooms with their soaking water. Mix well.
- Adjust the heat so the ingredients are simmering. Cover the pot and simmer for 45 minutes or until the barley is tender.
Video
Notes
- Dried mushrooms add additional umami flavor. Use porcini, shiitake, cremini, or a mix.
- This recipe uses chestnut mushrooms, a darker strain of button mushrooms that you can also use. Baby Bella (cremini) mushrooms or a mushroom mix will also work for this recipe.
- I made this recipe with hulled, whole-grain barley, but you can also use pealed barley. The cooking time for the stovetop method depends on the type of barley you use.
- Look for vegan beef-flavored broth in larger supermarkets or specialty stores. If you cannot find it, substitute vegetable broth or mushroom broth. You may want to add more soy sauce for a deeper flavor.
- This recipe uses a 6-quart Instant Pot. I have allowed 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up. The time may be adjusted up or down depending on how long it takes to start the cooking process.
- Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days or freeze for 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1099mg | Potassium: 423mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3061IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg