Skip to main content

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

Need to make a substitution?

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