This recipe is more like guidelines for creating your own favorite mushroom soup. Use lots of different kinds of mushrooms – crimini? shiitake? portabella? oyster? plain white? – or just one. Bulk it up with hearty potatoes. The sweetness of shallots adds a nice note, but maybe you have a couple onions begging to be used up. It’s naturally vegan & gluten-free so we have a blank slate for as much or as little experimentation as we want.
I can’t help but be introspective as we close out another year. 2017 was really hard in a lot of ways. But New Year’s Eve helps me remember all of the wonderful things that happened too: buying our first home, finding our tribe in our new town, and fiercely celebrating the marriages of our dearest friends.
And the list wouldn’t be complete without all of you, either: I am so incredibly grateful for every single person who shows up to read what I have to say about food. This journey from just posting new recipes to building a community has had lots of ups and downs, but the past few months of growth & new partnerships & reader engagement have been nothing short of magical to me. You guys are the reason I get to do what I genuinely, truly love every day.
So from the depths of my heart, thank you. Let’s make 2018 a really good one. ♡
I used about 10 ounces each of crimini, shiitake, and portabella mushrooms for my soup. This is the perfect time to scoop up those discounted ‘manager’s special’ boxes since the mushrooms will be cooked down; we aren’t bothered by a little extra ripeness.
I’ll be back on Monday with a healthy, energy-packed snack to kick off 2018. Until then, cheers to a new year!
Cozy Mushroom Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 1 T. olive oil
- 3 shallots diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup barley
- 2 T. fresh sage minced
- 2 lb. assorted mushrooms (crimini, shiitake, portabella, white) sliced
- 2 medium carrots peeled & diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 15 oz. coconut milk
- 4 cups vegetable or garlic broth
- 1 t. salt
- 1 t. pepper
Instructions
Stovetop
- Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots and garlic until shallots are translucent.
- Add the barley and sage. Toast for several minutes, stirring often, until barley is golden and sage is fragrant.
- Stir in mushrooms, carrots, celery, coconut milk, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until barley is al dente and carrots are tender.
- Add salt & pepper, taste, and season again as needed.
- Serve hot with a crusty baguette.
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