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Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup

Close-up of a white bowl filled with rich Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup, topped with mushrooms and parsley.
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Make a rich and creamy mushroom barley soup quickly using your Instant Pot. This recipe delivers a hearty, savory soup with minimal effort.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 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)

Instructions

  1. Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil. When hot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
  2. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Stir in garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Press Cancel to turn off Sauté mode.
  4. Add the rinsed barley, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir well to combine everything.
  5. Secure the lid and set the vent to Sealing. Cook on Manual/Pressure Cook setting on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
  6. When the cooking cycle finishes, allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 10 minutes, then carefully move the valve to Venting for a Quick Release (QR) of any remaining pressure.
  7. Stir in the heavy cream (or coconut milk).
  8. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode (Low). Slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Let the soup simmer, stirring constantly, until it thickens to your desired consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  9. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Rinsing the pearl barley removes excess starch, which helps prevent foaming during pressure cooking.
  • If you prefer a thicker soup, increase the amount of cornstarch slurry used 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://cookifyme.com/instant-pot-creamy-mushroom-barley-soup/