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Epicurious

Quickest Mushroom-Barley Soup

FLAVOR BOOSTERS When reducing the amount of fat added to a quick-cooking dish, a few last-minute additions—such as the fresh lemon juice and parsley in this soup—can have a big impact on the overall taste. A topping of shaved Parmesan also improves the end result.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 pounds white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 1/2 cups low-sodium store-bought chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking barley
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler, for garnish

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add broth and the water to pan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer; add barley and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove soup from heat; stir in parsley and lemon juice. Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan.

  2. About Barley

    Step 3

    Pearl barley and quick-cooking barley absorb water faster than regular hulled barley because their bran layers have been removed. The quick-cooking variety, however, has also been presteamed and takes only 10 minutes to cook—more than twice as fast as pearl barley.

  3. Nutrition Information

    Step 4

    (Per Serving)

    Step 5

    Calories: 310

    Step 6

    Fat: 6.8g (2.4g Saturated Fat)

    Step 7

    Protein: 15.1g

    Step 8

    Carbohydrates: 48.7g

    Step 9

    Fiber: 8.6g

Everyday Food: Light
TagsStewSoup/StewSoupMushroomVegetableBarleyRice & GrainsParmesanCheeseDairyStarterDinnerDairy FreeNut FreeVegetarianEasyQuickWeeknight MealsOne-Pot Meals30 Minutes or LessSimmerCookbooks
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