Low Fat Mushroom Barley Soup

A Lighter Take on Old-School Mushroom Barley Soup

The deli-counter classic, slimmed down without losing its soul. The flavor backbone of any great mushroom barley soup is the dried mushrooms, and this recipe leans on them hard. Soaking dried mushrooms in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes pulls out their concentrated, almost meaty essence. The strained soaking liquid gets added back into the pot, doubling the mushroom flavor without a drop of cream or oil.

Fat-free chicken broth keeps it light, and a single pat of butter for sweating the onion is the only added fat in the whole pot. The finishing touch (a stir of nonfat sour cream and dill at the end) gives the soup a tangy, creamy lift you’d swear couldn’t come from a low-fat ingredient.

Kitchen Tips

• Strain the mushroom soaking liquid through a coffee filter or cheesecloth-lined sieve. Dried mushrooms often hide grit that ruins an otherwise perfect soup.
• Add the potatoes in the last 30 minutes only. Earlier and they break down into mush; later and they stay raw.
• Do not boil after adding the sour cream. Even nonfat sour cream curdles if it hits a rolling boil.
• Pearl barley triples in volume. Stick to the ¼ cup unless you want a stew rather than a soup.
• Salt last. Both the broth and the mushroom liquid carry sodium, so taste before adding any.

Variations

• Add 8 oz of fresh sliced cremini or button mushrooms with the onion for a chunkier soup.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or miso paste with the broth for an umami boost.
• Use vegetable broth and skip the butter entirely for a vegan version (sub plain non-dairy yogurt for sour cream).