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Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup

Close-up of a steaming bowl of Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Barley Soup, featuring plump barley and sliced mushrooms.
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Make a rich and creamy mushroom barley soup quickly using your Instant Pot. This recipe delivers a hearty, savory meal with minimal effort.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake), sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (slurry)

Instructions

  1. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil. When hot, add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Press Cancel. Add the rinsed barley, vegetable broth, water, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir well to combine everything.
  4. Secure the lid and set the vent to Sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook (High Pressure) for 20 minutes.
  5. When the cooking cycle finishes, allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
  6. Open the lid. Stir in the heavy cream.
  7. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode (Low). Whisk the cornstarch slurry until smooth. Pour the slurry into the simmering soup while stirring constantly.
  8. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the soup thickens to your desired consistency. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Rinsing the pearl barley removes excess starch, which helps prevent foaming during pressure cooking.
  • For a thicker soup without using cornstarch, remove about 1 cup of the cooked soup (mostly mushrooms and broth) before adding the cream, blend it until smooth, and stir it back into the pot.
  • You can substitute hulled barley, but you must increase the pressure cooking time to 35 minutes with a 15-minute NPR.

Nutrition

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