Pearl Barley & Mushroom Soup
A thick, warming Eastern European soup with pearl barley, chestnut mushrooms, dried porcini, and aromatic vegetables. 195 kcal per serving — deeply satisfying and completely plant-based.
- pearl barley, rinsed 80g dry
- chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced 200g
- dried porcini mushrooms 10g
- hot water (for soaking porcini) 200ml
- onion, finely diced 1
- carrot, diced small 1
- celery sticks, sliced 2
- garlic cloves, minced 2
- vegetable stock 1 litre
- olive oil 1 tsp
- soy sauce 1 tbsp
- flat-leaf parsley, chopped large handful
- to taste salt & black pepper
- 1
Soak the dried porcini in 200ml hot water for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid. Roughly chop the rehydrated porcini.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook a further 4 minutes.
- 3
Add chestnut mushrooms and the chopped porcini. Cook for 5–6 minutes until the mushrooms are golden and any liquid has evaporated.
- 4
Add the rinsed pearl barley, vegetable stock, strained porcini soaking liquid, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.
- 5
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35–40 minutes until barley is tender and the soup has thickened.
- 6
Taste and adjust seasoning. The soy sauce adds depth without making it taste Asian — it should not be identifiable. Serve with a generous scatter of parsley.
In Poland and Belarus, barley mushroom soup — sometimes called krupnik — is the kind of meal that appears at every family table in winter. It is humble, thick, and deeply nourishing. The combination of fresh and dried mushrooms creates a broth that is genuinely complex without any meat.
Pearl barley is an underrated grain: rich in beta-glucan fibre (the same kind found in oats), filling, and slow-releasing. This soup is even better the day after it is made, as the barley continues to absorb the stock overnight.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this soup gluten-free?
Pearl barley contains gluten. Swap it for buckwheat groats or brown rice — add them later in the cooking, as both cook faster than barley.
What if I can't find dried porcini?
Use extra chestnut mushrooms plus a teaspoon of soy sauce for the deep umami the porcini normally provide.
How long does it keep?
Up to 4 days in the fridge — the flavour improves overnight. The barley keeps thickening, so loosen with a splash of stock when reheating. Freezes well for 3 months.
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