How to Cook Barley 

Learning how to cook barley will add a whole new experience if you are trying to get more grains in your diet. Barley is a grain grown around the world, and incredibly versatile. You can find it in anything from animal fodder and beer to soups and breads. While you can make barley flour to use instead of wheat, it isn’t a gluten free substitute. You may wonder what is pearled barley used for and how it’s different to other forms of barley. It’s simply barley without its bran layer, meaning that it cooks quicker and less chewy.

How to Cook BarleyHow to Cook Barley

The History Of Barley

Barley has been part of the human diet for over 10,000 years in various forms, and has been touted as the reason behind the European conquest of much of the globe due to the fact it can be grown anywhere and is highly nutritious. It is claimed that barley beer was the first alcoholic drink, and that it formed the basis for bread in early civilizations like the Egyptians. In medieval times in Europe, barley was used as a social divider due to its cheapness. Wealthier people would show off their riches by eating wheat products, while the peasants developed a whole series of recipes using barley. In modern times, it’s used all over the world and is widely recognized for its energy levels and high fiber content.

Common Uses Of Barley

Learning how to cook barley is very simple, as there are plenty of different uses for it. You could try these barley recipes:

  • Adding it whole to soups or stews. Barley is naturally high in bran, so will make you feel full more quickly. This makes it an excellent addition to broths and stews as it will bulk out the rest of the ingredients as well as adding its own taste to the mix.

  • Making porridge with flaked barley. Use the barley as you would do with traditional porridge oats, and the hot water helps to break down the complex carbohydrates in the barley to make a comforting thick porridge.

  • Using pearl barley as part of a healthy salad. You will need to cook the barley for around 45 minutes beforehand and give it time to cool down. It will have a soft and smooth texture, and will readily absorb the flavors of whatever you cook it with. For a simple salad, cook it with whatever leftover vegetables you have and water to make a simple stock.

You don’t need to know how to cook barley to be able to use it, as you can get it pre-cooked in cans in your supermarket. However, dried barley is cheaper and more versatile, giving you more cooking options.

How to cook barley in a tasty vegetable recipe.

BARLEY AND CHOPPED VEGETABLES RECIPE

This is the first recipe I learned how to cook barley in.

  • 1 ½ Cups pearl barley
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 3 Cups of stock
  • ½ Cup white wine
  • Vegetables such as celery, mushrooms or zucchini
  • ½ Cup of garden peas

1. Fry the onions over a medium heat until they’re soft

2. Add the pearl barley and cook until the leftover oil has been soaked up

3. Add the white wine and cook it off. The alcohol will burn off leaving the flavor of the white wine.

4. Ladle in the stock little by little, allowing each ladleful to be fully absorbed by the barley before adding the next. This technique of how to cook barley can be used as a soup base.

5. Keep going until you’ve got the barley in a creamy sauce, and then add the rest of the vegetables in. Cook until the vegetables have softened.

6. Serve with Parmesan cheese and a simple side salad.

BARLEY SOUP RECIPE WITH YOGURT AND SPINACH

  • 7 Cups vegetable stock
  • ½ Cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
  • 1 Pound spinach
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 2 Cups yogurt
  • 2 Teaspoons sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 Cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
  • Salt and pepper

In a large pot bring soup stock to a boil over high heat; add barley and cover.
Reduce heat to medium low and cook until barley is tender about 1 hour.
Clean and sort spinach discarding any tough leaves; cut crosswise into ½ inch pieces.
In small saucepan combine and blend cornstarch and water until smooth; stir in yogurt and sugar.
Cook while stirring often over medium low until mixture boils; remove from heat and set aside.
Add spinach to cooked barley and continue to simmer 3 minutes longer.
Thin soup with more stock or water if needed; season to taste.
Makes about 12 cups.

BARLEY CASSEROLE RECIPE

  • 1 ½ Cups pearl barley
  • ¾ Cup butter
  • 1 Cup mushrooms in quarters
  • 2 Medium chopped onions
  • 3 Cups chicken broth
  • Salt/pepper
  • Chopped fresh parsley

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy skillet; sauté mushrooms over medium high heat about 4 minutes.
Transfer mushrooms to small plate; add remaining butter to skillet and heat until foam has subsided.
Add onions to butter and cook just until wilted.
Add barley and stir over medium high heat until golden brown.
Combine barley and onions with mushrooms in casserole baking dish.
Add about 1 ½ cups hot chicken broth, cover and bake at 350F degrees for 30 minutes.
Add another 1 ½ cups chicken broth and bake another 30 minutes; season to taste.
If barley absorbs too much liquid add a little more broth; sprinkle with parsley before serving.

CHOCOLATE BARLEY BUNDT CAKE RECIPE

Learn how to cook barley in a cake.

  • ½ Cup cocoa powder
  • ¾ Cup boiling water
  • 1 ¾ Cup barley flour
  • 1 ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Cup vegetable oil
  • 7 Eggs (Separated; set to room temperature) 
  • 2 Teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ Teaspoon cream of tartar

Icing

  • 2 Cups powdered sugar
  • ½ Cup cocoa powder
  • ½ Teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 Tablespoons milk (More or less as needed)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; grease and flour Bundt cake pan.

In large mixing bowl beat egg WHITES and cream of tartar until smooth; set aside.

In small bowl stir cocoa powder into boiling water until smooth; cool.

In large bowl stir together barley flour, sugar, soda and salt; make well in center.

In well add oil, beaten egg YOLKS, cocoa mixture and vanilla; hand beat until smooth.

Fold ¼ of beaten whites into batter; fold in remaining whites.

Pour into prepared pan; bake on LOW RACK OF OVEN for 60 to 65 minutes.

Cool 20 minutes; run knife around edge and invert on plate.

Cool completely and ice.

TO MAKE ICING mix together powdered sugar and cocoa.

Stir in the vanilla and enough milk to make a thick glaze.

Drizzle icing over cake; let dry before cutting with serrated knife.

12 Servings.

TURKEY BARLEY MEATLOAF RECIPE

Learn how to cook barley in a meatloaf.

  • 1 Cup olive oil
  • 1 Cup chopped onion
  • ½ Cup diced carrots
  • ½ Cup pearl barley (Rinse and drain)
  • 1 ¼ Cups chicken stock
  • 1 ½ Pounds ground turkey
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 Teaspoons dried sage
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon pepper

Topping

  • 3 Tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350F degrees; oil loaf size pan and set aside.

Heat olive oil in skillet; add onions and carrots and sauté until onions are clear.

Add the barley and chicken stock; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

When all liquid is absorbed dump into colander to drain out excess moisture.

Cool mixture completely; mix with turkey, brown sugar, eggs and seasonings.

Mix ingredients until well blended; transfer to prepared loaf pan.

Bake turkey loaf for 1 hour; combine topping.

FOR TOPPING blend together ketchup, mustard and brown sugar; spread over loaf.

Bake 15 minutes longer or until interior registers 160F degrees.

Let stand 10 minutes before slicing; serves 8.

MEXICAN BARLEY CASSEROLE RECIPE

Learn how to cook barley in a casserole.

  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 Small onion (Finely chopped)
  • 1 Small green bell pepper (Finely chopped)
  • 1 Small jalapeno pepper (Seed, finely chop)
  • 2 Cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Cups pearl barley (Cooked)
  • 3 Cups cooked pinto beans (Drained)
  • 1 Can (15-16 Ounces) tomatoes (Diced)
  • 1 Cup ripe olives (Sliced)
  • 2 Teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon cumin
  • 1 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Lightly grease 13X9 inch casserole baking dish.

Combine oil and next 4 ingredients in large saucepan.

Cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes.

Add barley, pinto beans and next 5 ingredients.

Dump mixture into prepared casserole baking dish.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Stir in the Cheddar cheese; bake 10 minutes longer.

Serves 6.

MUSHROOM BARLEY RISOTTO RECIPE

Learn how to cook barley with risotto. 

  • 5-6 Cups chicken broth
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 4 Shallots (Finely chopped)
  • 2 Cloves minced garlic
  • 1 ½ Cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 Large carrot (Scrape, finely diced)
  • 1 ½ Cups pearl barley
  • Salt/ pepper to taste
  • 1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ Cup chopped fresh parsley (Divided)
  • 1 Lemon wedge

Bring the broth to as boil; REDUCE HEAT to low.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.

Add shallots to skillet; cook and stir 5 minutes.

Add garlic, mushrooms and carrot; sauté and stir 5 minutes.

Add barley, stir and sauté 2 minutes; add 1 CUP hot broth.

Stir in salt and pepper to taste; turn heat to low.

Add remaining broth ½ CUP at a time stirring occasionally.

Note: Wait for the liquid to be almost absorbed before adding more.

Cook about 45 minutes until barley is soft but chewy.

Stir in Parmesan cheese and 3 TABLESPOONS of the parsley.

Recheck seasoning for salt/ pepper; stir in juice of lemon wedge.

To serve garnish with remaining 1 TABLESPOON chopped parsley.

Serves 4.