Mushroom Barley Soup

Cold days are here and we are chasing comforting heartwarming food. So today, we are adding to our book a super delicious vegan soup to keep you extra warm and cosy. We are making a nourishing Mushroom Barley Soup for the whole family to enjoy. 

This is what I would call the definition of an easy vegan soup. And it is one of those hands-off recipes that allow you to step away while things are cooking. We have to keep an eye on it, of course, but other than chopping veggies, there's not much more to it. 

We love simplicity but we also love lots and lots of flavour and this soup has both. Even though it's so easy to make, we are not shying on flavour here. We have a handful of different veggies and some herbs and spices to make the magic happen. 

I also included barley in this vegan soup. This extra element will make our dish so much more filling and super nourishing. Barely, is a whole grain with rich content of vitamins, minerals, and other compounds that our bodies need to be strong and healthy.

This grain is not as popular as others but it is certainly a great addition to our diet. You can find it in most supermarkets nowadays. If that fails, most bulk stores and health stores carry it. We are using barely pearls for the soup but you can also find grits, flakes and flour to make a whole bunch of different things with it.

The best way to use barely is to soak it in water overnight. This will make all the nutrients readily available for your body to absorb. It will also make the cooking process a bit easier and a bit quicker so don't forget this step. 

As I said before, the main work you'll have to do is prep work. That means soaking things and chopping things. Nothing too complicated. The rest is just adding things to the pot in the right order to make sure we make the most of our veggies and we end up with neither burnt nor soggy food. 

I use a big pot for this barley soup so that everything fits in nicely. We need to heat up a bit of oil and start by sautéing onion and garlic until fragrant. Then we want to add the veggies that take the longest to cook, carrots and celery. After a couple of minutes, in go the mushrooms. 

At this point, our work is almost done. We just need to add the veggie broth, the spices, and the barely. From here it is just a matter of waiting for the barely to be fully cooked. I usually leave it simmering on low heat for about 30 minutes but the barely will be what determines how long this should go for. 

Your Mushroom Barley soup is now ready, just throw a few slices of whole-grain bread on the said and enjoy this beauty. It's so delicious and nourishing for your body and your soul!