Spiced Northern Forest Mushroom and Barley Soup

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-24 · Updated 2026-07-24

A warming soup featuring earthy mushrooms and chewy barley simmered with fragrant northern-inspired spices and fresh herbs. This American soup recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, pairs olive oil, yellow onion, diced, and carrots, diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 210 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Step 2: Add 1 large diced yellow onion, 2 diced medium carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks. Sauté for 6-7 minutes until vegetables soften and begin to brown.
3. Step 3: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and 3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms, cooking for 5 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and become tender.
4. Step 4: Add 3/4 cup pearl barley, 6 cups vegetable broth, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
5. Step 5: Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 40-45 minutes until barley is tender and soup has thickened.
6. Step 6: Remove bay leaf, then season with 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar for brightness.
7. Step 7: Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.