Mushroom Barley Soup
A hearty vegetable-based soup with mushrooms, barley, and potatoes, finished with sour cream. Meat-free, but rich in flavor and dill aroma.
- Time
- 60 min
- Serving
- 393 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $1.81
- Protein
- 13 g
Ingredients
- 1 Button mushrooms≈ $7.50 per kg 120 g
- 2 Pearl barleypack 800 g ≈ $2.80 40 g
- 3 Potatoes≈ $2.15 per kg 100 g
- 4 Carrots≈ $1.50 per kg 40 g
- 5 Onions≈ $1.60 per kg 40 g
- 6 Sour cream 15%pack 300 g ≈ $1.60 30 g
- 7 Butterpack 180 g ≈ $1.60 10 g
- 8 Dillpack 50 g ≈ $1.80 5 g
- 9 Bay leaves to taste
- 10 Salt 2 g
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Preparation: rinse the barley with cold water and soak it in boiling water for 20 minutes, then drain. Prepare the vegetables: peel and dice the onion5 into 0.5 cm cubes, peel and dice the carrot4 into 0.5 cm cubes, peel and dice the potatoes3 into 1 cm cubes. Clean the mushrooms and slice them 0.5 cm thick. Place a 2-liter pot on the stove and heat over medium; add butter1.
Cook the barley: after soaking, return the barley to the pot, pour in 500 ml of water, bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 25 minutes until almost tender, stirring occasionally.
Sauté the vegetables: over medium heat, sauté the onion5 and carrot4 in the butter1 until soft and lightly golden, about 6–8 minutes, stirring.
Add the potatoes3: to the sauté add the potato cubes and mushroom pieces; continue frying for another 2–3 minutes, stirring.
Cook the soup: add the fried ingredients to the pot, return the boiled barley with its liquid, pour in 500–600 ml of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Finish: add salt to taste and drop in the bay leaf; simmer on low for another 10 minutes so the potatoes3 soften and the flavors meld.
Serving: remove from heat, stir in natural sour6 cream into the soup and sprinkle with finely chopped dill8; serve hot, with bread if desired.
Tips
- Why it works
- Soak barley in boiling water first to soften it faster and prevent a gummy texture. Skipping this makes it chewy even after long cooking.
- Substitutions
- Use 120g oats instead of barley for a quicker cook (15 minutes), but texture will be grainier. Replace sour cream with 30g Greek yogurt for tang without richness.
- Common mistakes
- Overcooking the potatoes turns them mushy and grayish; check doneness by piercing with a fork. It should slide in easily but not fall apart.
- Storing and reheating
- Stores 4 days in the fridge; reheat gently on low heat, stirring, until hot. Freeze without sour cream for 3 months; add cream fresh after thawing.
- Serve with
- Pair with crusty whole-grain bread and a simple green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil for a balanced lunch.
In short
- In the planner this dish is cooked for two days: reheat on day two.
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