Hearty, flavorful vegetable barley soup recipe with mushrooms! Instant Pot and stove top instructions for the perfect vegetarian barley soup.
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Hiya, Rhubarbarians! Another weeknight dinner recipe for you today. Vegetable barley soup! Loaded with mushrooms, barley, and soooo much good stuff.
This is one of those hearty, vegan soups that even meat eaters love. I'm the only vegetarian in my family and they don't miss the meat at all. Even my young son gobbles this up!
I usually make this soup in my Instant Pot, but I have included stove top instructions as well if that's your jam!
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Why you'll love this
If you're like me, you want a bowl of soup to be a full meal. A main course. This veggie barley soup with mushrooms is filling, satisfying, and like a bowl of warm comfort. If you grew up eating barley soup as a kid, this is like a level up from that!
We build so much flavor into the broth by browning the vegetables before adding the barley. The barley cooks directly in the broth so you get a rich and flavorful soup with tender barley without any fuss.
You can customize the vegetables and the broth to what you have on hand, making this veggie barley soup very versatile.
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Ingredients and equipment
Here's how to make veggie barley soup with mushrooms perfectly at home. Full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article
Ingredients:
- Oil: for cooking. we like olive oil.
- Mire poix vegetables: carrots, onion, and celery finely diced.
- Mushrooms: cremini or baby bella.
- Garlic: fresh garlic, minced.
- Tomatoes: canned diced.
- Bay leaves: dried.
- Vegetable broth: we love the Better Than Bouillon seasoned vegetable base.
- Pearl barley: make sure you have pearl barley and not hulled barley. Bob's Red Mill pearl barley is our favorite.
- Salt and pepper: for seasoning.
- Fresh parsley: for serving.
I definitely suggest finding a vegetable broth that you love. My favorite is the Better Than Bouillon organic seasoned vegetable base. It's a concentrated base that you add hot water to. Perfect for soups because you can add as much or as little of the concentrate as you want, so it doesn't just taste like veggie broth.
Equipment:
- An Instant Pot or soup pot with cooktop: we have the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 6 quart size. We also love our Lodge Dutch oven.
- Measuring spoons: for measuring ingredients.
- Cutting board: for chopping ingredients.
- Chef's knife: for chopping ingredients.
- Measuring cups: for measuring ingredients.
- Stirring utensil: like a wooden spoon or spoonula. The OXO spoonula is our favorite!
- Ladle: for serving the soup.
- Bowls and spoons: for serving the soup.
What kind of barley to use for soup
When you think of vegetable barley soup, it is most often made with pearl barley. Pearl barley (or pearled barley) is barley that has been processed to remove the hull or fibrous outer layer. Pearl barley cooks faster than hulled barley, making it perfect for adding to soup.
If you'd like to use hulled barley in this soup recipe, I suggest soaking the barley for a few hours to soften it a bit. This way your vegetables won't become overcooked and mushy.
You will love this creamy vegan asparagus soup recipe!
Step by step instructions
Here is a step by step guide to making mushroom vegetable barley soup in the Instant Pot or on the stove top. Full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article
- First, make sure that all of your ingredients are prepped and read through the recipe. Things can move pretty quickly once you get cooking!
- Heat the oil and brown the onions. Don't add more veggies until they are brown. This is the start of building flavor.
- Add the rest of the veggies and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, vegetable broth, and barley and stir to combine.
- Depending on your cooking method, you'll want to cover and simmer on the stove top for 30 minutes, or pressure cook in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Remove the bay leaves from the soup before serving.
- Serve with fresh parsley on top.
Serving suggestions
This barley soup with mushrooms is absolutely filling enough to be the main course for dinner! I like to serve it with fresh parsley to add on top and a simple side or two.
What to serve with vegetable barley soup:
- Croutons or crusty bread for dipping
- Simple green salad
- Fluffy butternut squash rolls
- Olive rosemary focaccia bread
- Grilled cheese sandwich
Recipe tips and substitutions
- If you can't find pearl barley, try farro, quinoa, or brown rice.
- Feel free to add your favorite vegetables like green beans, corn, or peas.
- Although the recipe calls for vegetable broth, you can swap for beef broth or chicken broth if you're not vegetarian.
- Add some protein by adding beans or lentils.
- If you'd like the soup thicker, try pureeing a bit of it and stirring that it.
Storing and freezing
Storing: Store any leftover veggie barley soup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The soup may become starchy due to the barley, but the flavor will get even better. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
Freezing: Freeze in a well sealed container for up to 3 months. The barley may not be as al-dente as it will be when it's freshly made, but it will still be delicious. Thaw in the refrigerator and heat or heat from frozen on the stove top or in the microwave.
I love these Souper Cubes for freezing soup! Just freeze and then place the frozen cube of soup in a sealable bag. It saves so much space.
FAQs
If you use pearl barley, you don't need to. Cooking barley in soup will make your soup slightly starchy, so cook separately if that's an issue.
I don't recommend it, as the vegetables need to brown to create great flavor. The crockpot could also make your barley mushy if cooked too long.
Barley is not gluten free, so you will need to swap it out for quinoa or brown rice.
Flavorful vegan soups you will love:
- Vegan split pea soup with dill and crispy onions
- Easy vegan posole with black beans and poblanos
- Spicy carrot soup with coconut milk
- Instant Pot white bean vegetable soup
- Smoky black eyed pea soup
Did you make this recipe? Leave us a review and star rating in the comments below! We read every single review and appreciate your feedback.
Recipe
Vegetable barley soup with mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or mild flavored cooking oil
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 5 cups cremini or baby bella mushrooms diced
- 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 cups carrot diced
- 2 cups celery diced
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 medium dried bay leaves
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- ¾ cup pearl barley
- salt and pepper
- fresh parsley for serving (optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Turn on the saute function on your Instant Pot to normal. Heat the oil and saute the onions until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, carrot, and celery. Saute, stirring often, 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, vegetable stock, and barley. Give a good stir and hit cancel to stop the saute function.
- Put the lid on your Instant Pot and make sure the sealing valve is set to sealing. Turn on the pressure cooker function on your Instant Pot to high pressure for 10 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, manually release the pressure and open the lid. Remove the bay leaves from the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh parsley on top. Enjoy!
Stove top
- Turn on the saute function on your Instant Pot to normal. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a soup pot or large dutch oven. Saute the onions until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, carrot, and celery. Saute, stirring often, 10 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, vegetable stock, and barley. Give a good stir and reduce the heat so that your soup is simmering but not boiling. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked to your liking.
- Remove the bay leaves from the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh parsley on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you can't find pearl barley, try farro, quinoa, or brown rice.
- Feel free to add your favorite vegetables like green beans, corn, or peas.
- Although the recipe calls for vegetable broth, you can swap for beef broth or chicken broth if you're not vegetarian.
- Add some protein by adding beans or lentils.
- If you'd like the soup thicker, try pureeing a bit of it and stirring that it.
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, please let us know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag us on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians
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Courey
How would you convert this to the crockpot, please?
Trish Bozeman
I haven't tested this in a crockpot. I don't recommend it, as the vegetables need to brown to create great flavor. The crockpot could also make your barley mushy if cooked too long.
Sheryl
Hello,
Loved the recipe! How long can this be stored for in the fridge?
Trish Bozeman
It should keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator!
Pamela J Fink
Very good recipe and easy to make. Everyone loved it/1
d marks
Everyone loved it. I also used an immersion blender to make the soup a little thicker. I made a butter lettuce salad and warmed fresh pita with it and made it a meal.
Alisha O
Excellent flavor and super easy in the instant pot! Will make again! Thanks!
Renee
I made this delicious soup today and my husband and I both loved it! I used hulled barley, so I needed to increase the pressure cooking time to 30 minutes. I also added a teaspoon of dried thyme and a teaspoon of dried oregano. We like a thicker broth, so when the soup was finished cooking I removed the bay leaves and used a handheld immersion blender to blend some of the veggies into the broth. Based on some of the other comments, after blending the original soup a bit, I added 1 cup each of lightly steamed frozen corn and green beans and a couple handfuls of lightly steamed chopped kale. It turned out to be a very colorful and hearty soup. We will definitely be making this soup many times to warm up cold, snowy winter days in Maine! Thanks so much, Trish!
Renee
Whoops! I did not mean to give a two star rating. I have not made the soup yet and just had the question about using hulled barley. Sorry about that!
Trish Bozeman
No worries! I edited out the star rating for you.
Renee
How much longer do you need to cook this in the instant pot if you are using hulled barley?
Trish Bozeman
I would add 5 minutes for hulled barley. However, I haven't tested this recipe with hulled barley so I can't speak to the water ratio and mushiness of the veggies after it's cooked. Hope it works out for you and I'd love to hear the results!
Vickie Lopez
Love this recipe! I sauteed my veggies in vegetable broth (trying to avoid oils) and followed the recipe. (I also added a few more spices here and there :-).) Allowed for a natural release and added almost a whole bag of Trader Joe's roasted frozen corn at the end. Delish! I will definitely be using this recipe again and experimenting with different veggies. Thanks!
Trish Bozeman
Corn would be so good! Glad you liked it, Vickie! 🙂
Lacey
Delicious! I had a heaping bowl the first night, for lunch the next day, and finished it off on day three. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing!
Leslie
This is one of the best soups I ever made. Everyone who tried it raved!! Thank you!!
Trish Bozeman
I'm so glad, Leslie! 🙂
Pamela
Wow! Wow, wow....soooo yummy! And I didn't have carrots (added chic peas) and it was still delicious! I used chicken stock instead because that's all I had (COVID has made it hard to find veggie stock), and it was still delicious. I made some homemade herb bread with Parmesan cheese and it was a great pairing. Thank you! Can't believe how easy it was. Do you know how canning this would turn out with the barley? Thanks again.
Trish Bozeman
I'm so glad you liked it! I haven't tried canning the soup, but I imagine it would be fine. You could try undercooking the barley a bit so it doesn't turn to mush. I'd love to hear how it goes!
Michelle
How do I adjust the time for quick cooking barley?
Trish Bozeman
I wouldn't pressure cook the barley. If I were you, I would actually just make the soup on the stove top or just use the saute function on your Instant Pot to cook the soup like you would on the stove top. The vegetables and the quick cook barley should cook in simmering liquid in about 20 minutes!
Robert
Great recipe. I substituted the traditional American spices for one tablespoon of curry powder. I added some seitan. The result: Curry Vegetable Barley “Beef” soup.
Trish Bozeman
YUM!
Jake
Great recipe! I made a couple of substitutions, used fire roasted diced tomatoes and used 4 cups vegetable stock and 2 cups no salt chicken broth to reduce the sodium and it was still amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
Liz Jackson
So delicious! I used a splash of red wine after sauteing the veggies, but everything else as written. Perfect timing and flavors are balanced.
Heidi
I never think to rate or comment on recipes, but this is one of the tastiest soups I've had. I could not believe how full of flavor and satisfying it was! I made it for dinner at the beginning of this week and am making it again for lunch tomorrow because I'm still craving it so much!
Trish Bozeman
Heidi, I am so happy to hear this! Comments like this make my day. Thank you. 🙂
Marijo Fazio
*****
We're making this for the first time this weekend. Quick question: can I use PAM Olive Oil spray instead of cooking oil?
Patricia Bozeman
Sure! But you might need a pretty hefty spray. As long as you brown the onions and the veggies, it should be great. Hope you enjoy it!
Debra
So glad I stumbled upon this recipe. Always looking for more recipes for the insta pot. Those mushrooms are a perfect way to bring in the umami flavor and texture while still keeping this vegan. It's still chilly here and this soup is filling and warming too.
Sean@Diversivore
As much as I like a GOOD dump-and-start IP or slow cooker recipe, I'm glad to see you taking the realistic (and delicious) route here and building up your flavours first. With veggies and neutral grains like barley, it's so much more delicious to really build a good flavour foundation. I think that there's a lot of temptation to take the one-and-done approach to recipes, but the results are so often middling at best that I think it turns a lot of people off of using their Instant Pots. And hey, I'm all in favour of using more barley - it's an underappreciated grain!
Dana
This comes at SUCH a great time! This week marks the week where I start to make my freezer meals to stash away for when baby comes. SO GLAD you can freeze this! This will offer up the cozy nourishment I know I'm going to need during that time. And it's an excuse to lug out my Instant Pot. I love the thing, but I still feel like I just don't use it as much as I should!
Jenni LeBaron
Pearl barley is such a great way to make this soup super hearty and filling. I love a classic veggie soup and this one really does a nice job of encouraging the weather to stay a little drizzly right now so I can enjoy it a bit longer! Bonus that I can make it in the Instant Pot!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
I don't have an Instant Pot, but I do have a pressure cooker. Hubby LOVES barley soup. I will adapt this to make it work...and I know it will be a hit. He will be thrilled.
Julie Menghini
That is one beautiful bowl of soup that I could eat every day! I'm getting my instant pot out a lot more these days. Making soup in it is the best since you can cook it without boiling the heck out of it and losing all that texture and flavor in longer cooking methods. I'm a barley lover too and I can't wait to make this recipe!