Barley Recipes

By Food & Wine
Updated July 18, 2017
With its nutty flavor and pasta-like chew, barley is a versatile grain. High in fiber and protein, it is also a nutritious alternative to rice. For inspiration on how to incorporate this healthy grain into your diet, browse through this collection of barley recipes, from hearty salads to breakfast porridge.
Start Slideshow

1 of 17

Barley Gratin with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Credit: Abby Hocking / Food & Wine
Go to Recipe

This satisfying meal can easily be prepared in less than an hour. We love the sweet roasted cherry tomatoes that add the perfect amount of. Feel free to swap out bread crumbs for salted crackers for even more crunch.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 17

Barley and Rice with Sesame Oil and Chives

Credit: Photo © Kathrin Koschitzki
Go to Recipe

Boribap, or barley with rice, is a popular Korean side dish that combines white rice with plump, nutty grains of barley. In their version, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and his wife Marja mix in toasted sesame oil and minced chives for more flavor.

3 of 17

Lemony Barley Salad with Kale Pesto

Credit: Con Poulos
Go to Recipe

Kale does double duty here: Some of the leaves are pureed with lemon juice and olive oil for a phenomenal pesto, and some of them are torn into pieces that are stirred into the cooked barley at the end.

Advertisement

4 of 17

Zucchini and Spinach Soup with Barley

Go to Recipe

Chef Justin Cogley adds barley to this lovely, delicate, spring-like soup, which makes it hearty but not heavy.

5 of 17

Mashed Banana & Whole-Grain Porridge

Go to Recipe

Making wheat berries for breakfast can require waking up before sunrise, since the grains take at least an hour to cook. But, thanks to new flash-freezing technology, excellent precooked whole grains like barley, quinoa and wheat berries are ready in the time it takes to brew coffee. F&W's Justin Chapple turns frozen grains into a porridge that's great with all kinds of toppings.

6 of 17

Hot Chocolate with Máchica

Go to Recipe

Máchica is a sweetened, spiced grain blend that Ecuadorans use to enrich the texture and flavor of drinks. Spanish colonists brought this cooking technique to Ecuador from Mexico, where corn is used instead of barley.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 17

Barley and Grilled-Vegetable Salad

Go to Recipe

Grilled vegetables tossed in a simple walnut dressing gives the perfect flavor-punch to cooked barley.

8 of 17

Three-Grain Cereal with Dates and Cinnamon

Go to Recipe

Chef Quinn Hatfield cooks big batches of pearled barley and quinoa to keep in his refrigerator for this hot cereal, which comes together in minutes. He also uses the grains in salads. The mixture of cinnamon and chopped dates makes this breakfast nicely sweet—no extra sugar needed.

9 of 17

Warm Broccoli and Barley Pilaf

Go to Recipe

People tend to cook barley more in the winter than in the summer. But once it's been toasted in a saucepan with some butter and boiled (only 20 minutes), barley is a terrific showcase for superfresh vegetables, like the broccoli Grace Parisi uses here.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 17

Barley-and-Spinach Salad with Tofu Dressing

Go to Recipe

This salad is incredibly satisfying, thanks to the fiber-rich barley Lee Anne Wong tosses with spinach and mushrooms. Crumbled firm tofu in the sherry vinegar dressing adds extra protein.

11 of 17

Mushroom Barley Soup with Mini Meatballs

Go to Recipe

Grace Parisi has always been a fan of mushroom barley soup with beef that has been simmered until succulent. For a clever shortcut that still delivers deep flavor, she replaces the beef with meatballs made from a quick mix of sirloin, egg, bread crumbs and cheese.

12 of 17

Barley Salad with Parsley and Walnuts

Go to Recipe

Barley is versatile enough to be served warm or at room temperature, as in this terrific salad with walnuts, parsley and salty bits of ricotta salata cheese in a lemon-garlic vinaigrette. It can be served as a main course or as a side for grilled chicken or pork.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 17

Barley Chupe with Queso Fresco

Go to Recipe

In many South American countries, thick soups or stews are called chupes. This comforting chupe is made with barley, potatoes and lima beans in a savory chicken broth.

14 of 17

Mushroom-Barley Soup

Go to Recipe

"Designer soups" as Jordon Carroll calls chef-inspired pureed soups, often have lots of added butter and cream. She prefers old-fashioned ones like this mushroom-barley, which gets its flavor from good-quality beef stock.

15 of 17

Pearled Barley Salad with Apples, Pomegranate Seeds and Pine Nuts

Go to Recipe

This hearty salad combines thyme-scented barley with pomegranate, apple, and pine nuts.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 17

Barley and Roasted Squash Pilaf

Go to Recipe

Toasting barley in butter before simmering it in stock brings out its nutty flavor.

17 of 17

Spicy Grain Soup

Go to Recipe

Based on a brothy tortilla soup, this fiery, substantial soup is full of nutty-tasting barley, brown rice and bulgur, creating a dish that's high in fiber.

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Food & Wine