Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup

Name: Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Russian
Ingredients: 2/3 cup pearl barley, rinsed; 1 lb mushrooms (mixed varieties), sliced; 2 small carrots, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 1 small yellow onion, diced; 8 cups vegetable broth; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; 2 bay leaves; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper

A hearty Russian soup combining tender pearl barley with earthy mushrooms, root vegetables, and fresh dill in a savory broth. Warming and deeply satisfying.

65 minEasyServes 6180 cal/serving

RussianSoupStovetopVegetarian

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

2/3 cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 lb mushrooms (mixed varieties), sliced
2 small carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
8 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2

Add 1 small diced yellow onion, 2 small diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
3

Add 1 lb sliced mushrooms (mixed varieties) and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid.
4

Pour in 8 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
5

Stir in 2/3 cup rinsed pearl barley and add 2 bay leaves.
6

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender.
7

Season to taste with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
8

Remove bay leaves from the pot.
9

Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley just before serving.
10

Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Russian Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

How long does Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup take?

As written, 65 minutes: 20 of prep and 45 of cooking. The longest single stretch is step 6 (40 minutes): "Reduce heat to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender."

How do I know when Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup is done?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 6: cook until the barley is tender.

Can I make Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup is 2 tbsp butter. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Is Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup vegan?

No, though it is vegetarian. What keeps it from vegan is 2 tbsp butter. For fully plant-based entries, see the vegan soup collection.

Can I freeze Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup?

Yes. Refrigerate Pearl Barley Mushroom Soup for up to four days, or freeze it in portions for up to three months. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or stock to loosen it. The barley will go on swelling in the broth; for the best texture on day two, store that part separately or cook it fresh.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.