Looking for a hearty, soul-warming vegetable soup to help get you through the chilly winter months? This Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Barley Soup is just what you need.
Sweet caramelized onions, savory mushrooms and wholesome barley come together to create a deliciously satisfying soup that will warm and nourish you with every spoonful. And it comes together with an easy list of supermarket staples! Ready to get started?
Why This Recipe Works
This cozy soup is sure to become a wintertime favorite because:
- The caramelized onions add backbone and deep, rich flavor to the broth;
- The mushrooms are deglazed in Sherry, which brings a welcome caramel-y flavor to the soup;
- The soup is finished with a splash of sherry vinegar for brightness and bit of soy sauce for savory flavor.
The result is a surprisingly complex and delicious soup that you will return to again in the cooler months of the year.
The Ingredients
While these ingredients are relatively straightforward, there are a few details worth noting:
- Cremini Mushrooms are basically baby portobello mushrooms. If you can't find them, regular white mushrooms can be substituted and will work just fine here.
- It is important to use pearl barley here (also sometimes labeled medium barley). Hulled barley takes much longer to cook and will not soften in time, and a quick, par-cooked barley will turn to mush.
- Sherry, soy sauce and sherry vinegar might seem like unlikely ingredients here, but they are essential to creating a full-bodied, flavorful soup. There is a term in the cooking world known as "umami". It's a Japanese word that means something close to savory, meaty depth of flavor. But not all umami ingredients are meat. Mushrooms, wine, soy sauce, tomatoes, and even some cheeses are considered high on the umami meter. Adding these foods to a soup or stew really amps up the savory flavor and takes the dish from good to great. No sherry around? You can always substitute white wine instead. That goes for the vinegar as well. White wine, red wine, apple cider or white balsamic vinegar can all be used in place of the sherry vinegar if necessary.
How to Make this Recipe
This recipe has a couple of special steps that really help it be the very best Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Barley Soup that it can be:
- First, caramelize the onions over low heat in a dutch oven or large pot for about 20 minutes. They will become golden brown, sweet and melty and provide a delicious base for the soup.
- Deglaze the pan with water and transfer the onions and liquid to a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of olive oil and the mushrooms to the empty pot. Cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook for one more minute.
- Deglaze the pan with sherry and let it reduce slightly. Add the broth, reserved onions and liquid and the pearl barley. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the barley is tender, about 35 minutes.
- Add the vinegar, soy sauce and chopped fresh parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve!
Expert Tips
To ensure the VERY best Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Barley Soup every time, I've got just a few tips for you:
- If the bottom of the pot is getting too dark while you are caramelizing the onions, simply add a splash of water, scrape up the brown bits with a sturdy wooden spoon and keep cooking. The brown bits or fond that forms on the bottom of the pan is pure gold. We don't want to let it burn, and we don't want to waste all of that delicious flavor by failing to scrape the bottom of the pot.
- Be sure to use pearl barley. I said this above but it's worth repeating: Barley comes in several different forms and they all cook at different rates. Pearl barley (also known as medium barley) is the one you want for this recipe.
- Test the barley to make sure it is tender. Depending upon the age of the pearl barley you are using or how it has been stored, cooking times can vary. The only way to know for sure that it is pleasantly tender and ready to eat is to taste it.
- Salt and pepper to taste. This is perhaps the most important tip of all, always! It's quite likely you will want a little more salt in your soup and a few grinds of pepper. The only way to get it just the way you like it is to season, taste and season again if necessary until it's just perfect.
FAQs
Any mushroom will work just fine in this recipe, including the simple white mushrooms available at nearly every grocery store.
Yes. Simply reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
Sherry is a fortified wine that hails from southern Spain. You don't need an expensive brand here, something basic will do. It's best to avoid "cooking sherry" which is sold in some grocery stores as it has a variety of additives and isn't a very desirable product. If you can't find sherry, simply substitute any white wine you would be willing to drink on its own.
Absolutely! Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. The barley will swell slightly and soak up some of the broth while it sits so it's best to add a little bit of water when reheating it.
This soup freezes very well. Transfer the cooled soup to an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag. Freeze for up to two months. Add a little water when reheating it.
The vinegar in this recipe is designed to bring in a little zing of acidity and heighten the flavor of the soup. White wine, red wine, apple cider and white balsamic vinegars or even a squeeze of real lemon juice would be fine stand-ins for the sherry vinegar.
Simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
I hope you spend an afternoon making a batch of this deliciously cozy soup! It's just the thing to warm you on a cold winter's night. Looking for more tasty soup recipes for the colder months of the year? Here are a few blog favorites:
Recipe
Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 onions diced small
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup water + more if necessary
- 4 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ cup dry sherry
- ⅔ cup pearl barley
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onions are golden brown and melty, about 20 minutes. (If the bottom of the pot is getting too dark while the onions cook, add a splash of water, scrape up the brown bits and keep cooking.) Add 1 cup of water to the pot, scraping up the brown bits that have formed on the bottom with a wooden spoon. Transfer the onions and liquid to a bowl. Set aside.
- Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the now empty pot over medium. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook until mushrooms are browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook for one more minute. Add sherry and simmer until bubbly and reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Add broth, barley, and caramelized onions/liquid mixture to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook until barley is tender, about 35 minutes, adding additional water as needed if soup becomes too thick. Add soy sauce, sherry vinegar and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.
Notes
- If the bottom of the pot is getting too dark while you are caramelizing the onions, simply add a splash of water, scrape up the brown bits with a sturdy wooden spoon and keep cooking. The brown bits or fond that forms on the bottom of the pan is pure gold. We don't want to let it burn, and we don't want to waste all of that delicious flavor by failing to scrape the bottom of the pot.
- Be sure to use pearl barley. Barley comes in several different forms and they all cook at different rates. Pearl barley (also known as medium barley) is the one you want for this recipe.
- Test the barley to make sure it is tender. Depending upon the age of the pearl barley you are using or how it has been stored, cooking times can vary. The only way to know for sure that it is pleasantly tender and ready to eat is to taste it.
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Barley Soup and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
Becky says
Substituted the mushrooms with Baby Bellas. Used 10 minute Pearl Barley. Very good.
Lori-Ann says
I revised/subbed the following based on what I had on hand, all I picked up were the cremini mushrooms: Beef broth / Red wine + dark balsamic & lemon juice / Roasted garlic / Added frozen kale at the end as the dried parsley I had looked boring. Turned out AMAZING. My cook times were longer but I suspect that’s due to living at a high elevation and using a soup pot from “the Rock”. Definitely a recipe I’ll repeat in the future, I’m obsessed. And if I’m ever gifted a white wine (I only ever drink red, hence the adjustments) I’ll try it with white wine and apple cider vinegar. This will definitely be a recipe I bring to a potluck/make for entertaining as it just hits the spot so well. Thank you for sharing this as it now has me hooked on your blog.
If you ever make an Instagram, I’d love to tag you in the photo I took of my soup!
Kristi says
Hi Lori-Ann,
Thanks for your nice comment! So glad you enjoyed this cozy soup. It's one of my favorites. You can definitely find me on Instagram at true_north_kitchen!
Kristi