The reason some vegetarian dishes can leave you feeling a bit underwhelmed is that they lack umami.

Umami, sometimes known as the “fifth flavor” (after sweet, sour, bitter, and salty) arises from the presence of glutamates in food. If you haven’t heard of it, you’ve certainly tasted it: it’s that hearty, mouthwatering, coat-you-tongue flavor found in food such as grilled hamburgers, pad see ew, pasta with marinara sauce, soy sauce, prosciutto, or–for my Australian readers–Vegemite.

Umami occurs naturally when you cook fish or meat over high heat. When you roast carrots and they get nice and crispy? That creates umami, too. But too often, vegetables are steamed, boiled, or braised, preventing them from being able to form a nice, umami-y crust. So when you can, try to treat your veg like you treat your meat: they’ll have way more flavor.

But what about soup? There’s no away around it: you’re putting veg into a pot of liquid, not into a screaming hot pan. So how do you get that umami oomph?
This recipe throws the kitchen sink at the problem: I added tomato paste and doubled the amount of dried mushrooms, both of which are high in umami. The result is a vegetarian soup that is loud. Each spoonful coats your mouth with rich, deep, insane flavor–the kind you would usually associate with steak, not soup.

So until grilling season rolls around, make this. I promise you’ll love it.

[Looking for more umami tips? See the notes following the recipe!]

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Previously:
One year ago: How to lessen the bite of red onions
Two years ago: Muesli with Nuts, Dried Fruit, and Coconut

And for my Australians:
Six months ago: Salade Lyonnaise + A Little Taste of Lyon
One and a half years ago: Zahav’s Hummus

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Umami Bomb Mushroom Soup

Adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious
Serves 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces (43g) dried mushrooms (see notes following recipe)
4 cups (1L) tepid water plus 4 cups (1L) hot water, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 stick (57g) butter (substitute a few tablespoons of oil to make this vegan)
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds (680g) white mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce (425g) can diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup (4.4oz/125g) barley (I used quick-cooking; see notes following recipe)
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill

Instructions

If your dried mushrooms don’t look bite-sized, break them up with your hands. Then soak in 4 cups (1L) hot water for 15 minutes.

Cook onion in butter with 1 teaspoon salt in a heavy medium pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add celery, carrot, garlic, and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until veg is softened, about 5 minutes.

Transfer dried mushrooms with a slotted spoon to pot. Reserve mushroom cooking liquid! Add white mushrooms and salt to pot. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, remaining 4 cups water, and mushroom-soaking liquid. If you are using regular barley (i.e., not fast cooking), add it now. Simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes. (If you are using the quick-cooking barley, add it about 10-15 minutes before the soup is done simmering.)

Purée 1 cup mushrooms, barley, and veg with 1 cup liquid in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then return to pot. Stir in parsley and dill to taste.

Serve with crusty bread and a glass of wine!

Notes

On mushrooms: dried mushrooms can be expensive! I keep costs down by buying them at my local Asian market, where a massive bag sells for the same price as a tiny bag does at the conventional grocery store.

On barley: I used quick-cooking barley from Trader Joe’s. Either quick-cooking or conventional would work here—just follow the recipe as written for your particular kind of barley.

On leftovers: In the fridge, this soup will keep for 4-5 days. This soup also freezes extremely well: just forgo the herbs (or stir them in very thoroughly and be prepared for them to wilt), place in containers, and pop into the freezer.

Other umami sources: Try adding a teaspoon or two of soy sauce or balsamic vinegar to soups, or try simmering with a leftover parmesan rind. All are high in umami and, in small amounts, won’t significantly change the other flavors in the soup.