Every week our friends at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City will develop healthy recipes exclusively for our readers. This gorgeous vegan shiitake soup was created for Barrie from Aurora, Ohio. She wrote us because she was looking for a “vegan recipe for a yummy winter soup…other than butternut squash soup,” which she’s made “a hundred times.” This recipe works all year round, with hearty grounding barley and light vegetables on top to keep it light and springy. Make a big batch and share a photo of the result on Twitter or Instagram @LiveSonima with the hashtag #RecipebyRequest. You can submit your own request here for a chance to receive a personalized recipe tailored to your favorite flavors and unique lifestyle and dietary needs.

Photo by: Hailey Wist; Styling by Laurie Knoop

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup hulled barley
  • 8 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, cut into medium dice, about 2 cups
  • 1 large carrot, cut into a small dice, about 1 cup
  • 2 ribs celery, cut into a small dice, about 1 cup
  • ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and thinly sliced - about 3 cups
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Rinse barley thoroughly under running water.

  2. In a 1 gallon pot, combine barley, stock, ½ teaspoon salt, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer partially covered for about 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf and thyme stem and discard, and set barley aside.

  3. In a sauté pan, sweat onion, carrot and celery in the oil until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes.

  4. Add the shitakes and continue to cook for 6 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

  5. Purée barley and its cooking liquid in a blender, then pour back into pot and add sautéed vegetables. Simmer over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes.

  6. Taste and re-season if needed.

Nutritional Information

Calories
324
Total Fat
12g
Saturated Fat
2g
Cholesterol
0mg
Sodium
740mg
Carbohydrates
49g
Dietary Fiber
12g
Sugars
6g
Protein
8g
YIELD:

4 servings