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Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup

A close-up of Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup, garnished with fresh parsley, served in a white bowl.
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Make a rich and creamy mushroom barley soup quickly using your Instant Pot. This recipe yields a hearty, flavorful vegetarian soup.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake), sliced
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk for vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water (slurry)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil. When hot, add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the sliced mushrooms. Cook until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Press Cancel.
  4. Stir in the rinsed barley, vegetable broth, water, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
  5. Secure the lid and set the vent to Sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook (High) for 20 minutes.
  6. When the cooking time finishes, allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 10 minutes, then carefully move the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
  7. Open the lid. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode (Low). Stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk).
  8. Slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Let the soup simmer, stirring constantly, until it thickens to your desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

Notes

  • Rinsing the barley helps remove excess starch, leading to a cleaner final texture.
  • If you prefer a thicker soup, increase the cornstarch slurry slightly.
  • For a deeper mushroom flavor, use dried porcini mushrooms soaked in hot water (use the strained soaking liquid as part of your broth).

Nutrition

Find it online: https://afripaket.com/instant-pot-creamy-mushroom-barley-soup/