Healthy and Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup

Recipe by Charna Sheinfeld, Nutrition Intern

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/4 oz. dried Porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
24 oz. assorted mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 gloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup barley, dry
3 cups low sodium vegetable stock
4 cups water
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

Instructions: 

1. Rinse dried Porcini mushrooms in water. Soak cleaned mushrooms in the boiling water covered for 30 minutes.
2. Heat large pot with olive oil and add onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes covered.
3. Stir onions. Add sliced carrots. Saute onions and carrots for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add sliced mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt (the salt helps the mushrooms sweat and drain out their liquid). Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes).
5. Uncover pot and continue to cook mushrooms until their liquid cooks out, about another 5 minutes.
6. Add tomato paste and minced garlic and allow to cook for 1 minute.
7. Add barley, remaining salt, dried mushrooms with their liquid, vegetable stock, water and thyme.
8. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
9. Optional: before serving, garnish with fresh minced thyme.

Serving Size: 1 cup
Nutrition Facts: 

Calories: 180
Total Fat:  3.5 gm
Saturated Fat: 0 gm
Monounsaturated Fat:  2 gm
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Protein: 6 gm
Carbohydrate: 33 gm
Dietary Fiber : 9 gm
Sodium: 610 mg

Bonnie R. Giller, MS, RD, CDN, CDE  • BRG Dietetics & Nutrition, P.C.
brghealth.com • (516) 486-4569

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