An instant classic, revisited! A Barley Soup with Mushroom and Kale is so comforting in the fall. There’s something about the earthiness of mushrooms that seems to keep me grounded, especially during the change of seasons. Their combination with barley and kale is a satisfying one. This soup, served with baguette, makes for a stunning weekday meal, with some leftovers as a bonus.
You could make this soup with hulled barley, which is more nutritious, as only its indigestible outer husk has been removed. Pearl barley, on the other end, has had its outer husk and bran layer removed, and has been polished. All this processing removes some of the grain’s nutrients. To make this soup with hulled barley, you may simply follow the recipe, but adjust the cooking time. Hulled barley will take closer to 45-60 minutes, maybe more. Just make sure you keep checking it for doneness and for liquid level. If you have time, it is totally worth it. Hulled barley is chewy, nutty and a great substitute for white rice.
Barley is a member of the grass family. The grain grows nicely in temperate climates around the world. It is said to be one of the first domesticated grains in the Fertile Crescent, appearing around the same time as einkorn and emmer wheat. Wild barley, its ancestor, ranges from North Africa and Crête in the west, to Tibet in the east. The earliest evidence of wild barley from an archaeological perspective dates back from 8500 BCE. Barley is today one of the world’s most important crops. In 2017, it was ranked fourth in the list of grains most produced, behind maize, rice and wheat. The world produces 149 million tonnes of barley, with Russia as the leading producer with 14% of the shares.
If you have not tried barley, I invite you to do so. This Barley Soup with Mushroom and Kale is actually a great way to try barley for the first time. The grain is a good source of essential nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B, niacin and dietary minerals like iron and manganese. It is important to note that like wheat, rye and their derivatives, barley contains gluten and may not be suitable for someone with gluten intolerance. It has been reported, however, that some people with wheat allergies can tolerate barley.
For other soup recipes using whole grains, check out this Spiced Green Cabbage and Kamut Soup and this Kamut Berry, Kidney Bean, and Shiitake Mushroom Soup.
PrintBarley Soup with Mushroom and Kale
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 8 cups mushroom stock or vegetable broth
- 1 bouquet garni (tarragon, thyme, parsley all tied in a small bouquet with kitchen twine)
- 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 8 ounces white or button mushrooms, sliced thin
- 1 bunch kale, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tamari, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
In a large soup pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and 4 cloves of garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until onion is translucent and starts to brown, 6-7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and sauté until saucy, about 5-6 minutes. Add the mushroom stock , the bouquet garni, and the barley. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down, cover and let cook for 35 minutes or more, until the barley is tender with a chewy center.
While the barley is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, 6-7 minutes. Add the leftover 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté for one more minute. Deglaze with the rice vinegar, add 1 tablespoon tamari and scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the skillet. Remove from the heat.
When the barley is done, add the mushrooms, the kale, the parsley and 1 tablespoon tamari. Heat through until the kale is wilted. Remove the bouquet garni, taste and adjust seasonings. Bon appétit!
Keywords: barley, mushroom, kale, soup
Soupe orge, kale et champignons
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 à 6 portions 1x
Ingredients
- 3 c. à thé huile d’olive, séparées
- 1 oignon, haché
- 2 branches de céleri, hachées
- 6 gousses d’ail, émincées, séparées
- 1 tasses de tomates, hachées
- 8 tasses de bouillon de champignons ou de légumes
- 1 bouquet garni (branches d’estragon, de thym et de persil, par exemple, liées par une ficelle de cuisine)
- 1 tasse d’orge perlée, rinsée
- 8 onces de champignons blancs ou café, tranchés mince
- 1 botte de chou kale, tranché mince
- 1 c. à soupe de vinaigre de riz
- 2 c. à soupe de tamari, séparées
- 2 c. à soupe de persil frais, haché
Instructions
Dans un grand chaudron à soupe, chauffer 2 c. à thé d’huile d’olive à feu moyen. Ajouter les oignons, le céleri, et 4 gousses d’ail émincées. Faire revenir, en brassant souvent, jusqu’à ce que l’oignon soit translucide et commence à dorer, environ 6 à 7 minutes.
Ajouter les tomates et faire revenir jusqu’à ce que le mélange soit en sauce, de 5 à 6 minutes. Ajouter le bouillon de champignons ou de légumes, le bouquet garni et l’orge. Bien mélanger et porter à ébullition. Réduire le feu, couvrir et cuire pendant 35 minutes ou plus, jusqu’à ce que l’orge soit tendre.
Pendant la cuisson de l’orge, chauffer 1 c. à thé d’huile d’olive dans une poêle à feu moyen-élevé. Ajouter les champignons et faire revenir jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient dorés, de 6 à 7 minutes. Déglacer avec le vinaigre de riz. Ajouter 1 c. à soupe de sauce tamari et gratter le fond de la poêle pour en déloger les sucs de cuisson. Retirer du feu.
Quand l’orge est cuite, ajouter les champignons cuits, le chou kale, le persil et 1 c. à soupe de sauce tamari. Retirer le bouquet garni, goûter et ajuster les assaisonnements. Bon appétit!
Keywords: orge, champignon, kale, soupe
