Loaded Vegetable, Mushroom & Barley Soup

Two kinds of mushrooms do the work here: dried ones steep in the stock and release a deep, woodsy savor, while fresh quartered caps add meaty bite. Pearl barley swells as it cooks under pressure, thickening the broth into something closer to a stew than a thin soup.

The pressure cooker collapses what would be an hour of simmering into about twenty minutes, so the carrots, celery and leeks stay sweet instead of going to mush. One trick worth following: reserve half the dill and stir it in raw at the end. Cooked dill fades fast, but that fresh handful keeps the whole pot smelling like a garden.

Lima beans and a chopped green pepper round it out, turning one pot into a full meal.

Kitchen Tips

• Make sure no bits of onion or garlic are stuck to the bottom before you lock the lid. Scorched scraps can trip a burn warning and turn the broth bitter.
• If your dried mushrooms are leathery, soak them in a little warm stock first, then pour that soaking liquid into the pot for extra depth.
• Barley keeps drinking up liquid as it sits, so leftovers thicken overnight. Loosen with a splash of stock when reheating.

Variations

• Swap cilantro for the dill for a brighter, herbier bowl.
• Stir in a spoonful of miso or a splash of soy at the end for a deeper umami hit.
• Use oil instead of butter to keep it fully plant-based.