Quick Cooking Mushroom Barley Soup

Warm, hearty, and ready in just 40 minutes, this Quick Cooking Mushroom Barley Soup is the perfect comfort food for busy weeknights. Packed with wholesome ingredients like tender cremini mushrooms, nutrient-rich vegetables, and quick-cooking pearl barley, this one-pot meal offers a satisfying combination of earthy flavors and nourishing goodness. Aromatic herbs like thyme and parsley elevate the broth, while an optional touch of lemon juice adds a refreshing brightness to each spoonful. This delicious soup is easy to prepare, adaptable for vegetarians and vegans, and guaranteed to become a go-to recipe for cozy lunch or dinner. Serve it piping hot with crusty bread for a complete meal that’s both nutritious and irresistibly comforting.

Nutriscore Rating: 82/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:25 mins

Total Time:40 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup quick-cooking pearl barley
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Step 2

Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.

Step 3

Stir in the minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for another 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

Step 4

Add the sliced cremini mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture and shrink slightly.

Step 5

Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the soup to a boil.

Step 6

Stir in the quick-cooking pearl barley, dried thyme, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper.

Step 7

Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the barley is tender.

Step 8

If using baby spinach, stir it into the soup in the last 2 minutes of cooking until wilted.

Step 9

Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Stir in lemon juice for a bright, fresh finish, if desired.

Step 10

Serve hot and enjoy your quick mushroom barley soup!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(2450.1g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1720.6

Total Fat 44.6g	0%
Saturated Fat 7.5g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6.9g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 6112.0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 288.9g	0%
Dietary Fiber 63.2g	0%
Total Sugars 42.6g
Protein 60.4g	0%

Vitamin D 22.7IU	0%
Calcium 579.2mg	0%
Iron 18.3mg	0%
Potassium 5689.5mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 22.3%

Protein: 13.4%

Carbs: 64.2%