Vegan Mushroom Barley Soup with Chickpeas and Spinach

Step 1

Instant Pot Instructions:

Step 2

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over shiitake mushrooms, set aside to soak for 10-15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Step 5

Mix all the spices in a small bowl, set aside.

Step 8

Press Saute button on your Instant Pot. Once the inner bowl is hot, add 1-2 Tbsp water/broth (or oil if using). Add diced onion, carrots and celery, saute 3-4 min until the onion is translucent. Mix in 1/2 of the minced garlic and 1/2 of the spice mixture, saute 1 min.

Step 11

Add shiitake mushrooms, barley or rice, cubed potatoes, red lentils, tomato paste, veggie bouillon**** if using, and 6 cups of broth (if we add all broth at once, it will take longer for the IP to reach high pressure). Press Cancel button.

Step 14

Lock the lid in place, making sure that the vent lever is set to pressure. Press the Manual button and set the timer for 4 minutes. Once the time is up and your Instant Pot beeps, follow 10-minute natural release opening method (let the timer reach 10 minutes, then press Cancel and carefully turn the pressure knob to release steam - be careful not to burn yourself when the steam starts coming out!).

Step 17

Open the lid. Press Saute button. Add cooked chickpeas, two additional cups of broth, spinach or arugula, and the rest of the garlic and spices. Bring to a boil briefly, then press Cancel. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Step 20

Let the soup rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Step 22

Stovetop Instructions:

Step 23

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over shiitake mushrooms, set aside to soak for 10-15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Step 26

Saute diced onion, celery and carrots in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot with 1-2 Tbsp of water/broth or oil until the onion is translucent, 3-5 min. Add minced garlic, saute 30 seconds longer. Mix in tomato paste; stir the mixture until the paste is well incorporated. Add rinsed brown rice or barley and lentils, if using. Add all of the spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 min.

Step 29

Meanwhile, slice the soaked shiitake mushrooms into 1/4 inch thick strips. Add them to the soup pot along with cubed potatoes and chickpeas. Pour the water or broth over the mixture. Add veggie bouillon/low sodium soy sauce if using.

Step 32

Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15-17 minutes. The soup is done when the rice/barley is soft, and the potato cubes can be easily split in half. If the soup looks too thick, add more water/broth and bring to a boil once more.

Step 35

Taste the soup, adjust the seasoning. Stir in chopped spinach or arugula***** and/or parsley if desired.