Mushroom Barley Soup

Recipe by Devorah Bowen from Best of Vegan

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp Avocado Oil* 

• 1 Onion, diced

• 2 ribs Celery, diced

• 2 medium Carrots, diced

• 16 oz. Mushrooms (baby bella or white button) 

• 1 tbsp fresh Thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

• 6 small Red or Yellow Potatoes, peeled and diced

• 3 cloves Garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp Miso Paste 

• 1 cup dry Pearled Barley**

• 2 Bay Leaves

• 6 cups Vegan Beefless Broth

• 1 cup Kale, chopped

• 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

• Salt & Pepper to taste

• Up to 2 cups water if needed

*Editor’s Note: to make this recipe WFPB, substitute  1/4 cup sherry, white wine, or dry vermouth for the oil. Sherry would work especially well with this recipe.

*Editor’s Note: Pot barley or hulled barley, available in health food stores in bulk, is more intact/less refined than pearl barley, and is a better choice for health if you can find it.

Instructions:

In  a large pot on medium heat add the oil [or sherry] and sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Add in the celery and carrots and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Add in the sliced mushrooms and thyme and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms have released their water and started to brown. Add in the diced potatoes and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and miso paste. Mix until the miso has dissolved or it coats all of the veggies.

Add in the barley and bay leaves and mix through. Add in the broth, mix and cover. Lower the temperature to medium low and simmer for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally. As the barley cooks it will absorb the broth so you may need to add additional water. Add a cup at a time if needed. 

Once the barley is cooked (it will plump) and vegetables are tender, add in the chopped kale and vinegar. Cook for another 15 minutes, check for seasoning and add salt & pepper if needed. Serve with a piece or two of hearty bread.

This was a Recipe Challenge recipe. Here were my responses.

I loved the Mushroom-Barley Soup! Like another challenge participant who subbed in a different green, I subbed in cabbage for the kale.

I love how the mushrooms get rubbery in this recipe—that doesn’t sound appealing but it really is! I was glad the recipe called for carrot and celery and potato—that made it more like a vegetable soup.

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On its home page, Best of Vegan says it is “a digital culinary publication founded by Kim-Julie Hansen in early 2014. It features the best vegan recipes, chefs, restaurants, products, destinations, decor, and more!” The site draws on a number of different authors and sources.

Everything is plant-based. For those of you who are whole-food plant-based: you will find oil and processed ingredients in some of the recipes on this site. However, there’s lots to choose from, and recipes can be adapted or can provide inspiration even if you don’t follow them exactly.

The recipe featured in the attached file is from Devorah Bowen of The Yummy Vegan. Substitute broth, wine or other liquid for the oil to start off the soup, to make this recipe Jumpstart-compliant.