Barley

27 Best Barley Recipes for Salads, Soups, Stews, and Grain Bowls

How to cook barley in a variety of delicious ways.

May 27, 2020

A bowl filled with a herby barley salad with butterbasted mushrooms.

Barley recipes definitely deserve a place in your meal rotation, whether you're looking to the grain as a filling side or part of the main dish. The fiber-rich pantry staple has a toasty flavor and pleasantly chewy bite. You can use the whole grain in just about anything, including salads, soups, stews, and grain bowls. Read on for our 27 best barley recipes below.

Photo by Christopher Testani
1/27
Herby Barley Salad With Butter-Basted Mushrooms
Barley gives butter-basted mushrooms and shaved cheese a hefty base. Top the bowl with golden brown shallots cooked in oil for a crispy finishing touch.
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Photo by Peden & Munk
2/27
Black Barley With Mushroom Broth
An overnight soak for barley is worth the time commitment. The water rehydrates the ancient grain, and the soaking liquid can be used in the final dish, like in this brothy bowl of black barley, thinly sliced mushrooms, spicy kimchi, and raw radishes.
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3/27
Alt-Grain Porridge With Kimchi and Jammy Eggs
Kimchi gives this porridge a spicy twist, while the jammy egg keeps it hearty and perfect for breakfast. It takes 25 minutes to cook the entire breakfast. While the porridge is simmering, prepare the kimchi and 6-minute eggs.
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Christina Holmes
4/27
Chickpea, Barley, and Feta Salad
Chewy barley meets creamy feta and snappy green beans in a healthful salad that makes a fantastic side or a brag-worthy lunch.
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Photo by David Malosh
5/27
Barley-Stuffed Peppers
Forget about boring old rice: stuff bell peppers with barley, mushrooms, Parmesan, and mozzarella instead.
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Marcus Nilsson
6/27
Toasted Barley Risotto with Spinach and Herb Purée
A purée of spinach and parsley makes a vibrant sauce for this creamy barley risotto. The entire dish cooks up in less than an hour.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
7/27
Grain Bowl Soup
Like your favorite grain bowl in soup form, this warming, brothy dish is topped off with a bright and slightly sweet parsley-dill sauce.
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Anders Overgaard
8/27
Almond-Barley Porridge with Fruit
Barley recipes aren't just for lunch and dinner—they also come in handy at breakfast. Case in point: this cream, dreamy bowl of porridge that makes delicious use of pearl barley, almonds, cherries, heavy cream, and chopped white chocolate.
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Christopher Baker
9/27
Barley, Cauliflower, and Herbs with Burrata
This herby grain salad calls for pearl barley, extra virgin olive oil, fresh breadcrumbs, chopped cauliflower, celery hearts, lemon juice, lemon zest, Champagne vinegar, parsley, burrata, and crème fraîche.
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Photo by Ted Cavanaugh, Food Styling by Sue Li
10/27
Barley Porridge with Honeyed Plums
Plums have a sweet but brightly acidic flavor, which suits them well as a topping for this savory porridge.
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Jason Lowe
11/27
Black Barley, Fennel, and Radish Salad
Mixing visually striking black barley with raw and cooked vegetables creates lots of flavors and textures. Feel free to substitute the more readily available pearl barley instead.
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Photo by Claire Barboza
12/27
California Barley Bowl with Lemony Yogurt Sauce
Topped with chunks of ripe avocado, crumbled Cotija cheese, toasty almonds, and a citrus-sparked yogurt sauce, this savory barley breakfast bowl channels California vibes in the best possible way.
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Christopher Testani
13/27
Barley, Fennel, and Beet Salad
Sherry vinegar and mint flavor perfectly al dente barley topped with thinly sliced raw golden beets, shaved mint, and toasted almonds.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
14/27
Grain Bowl With Spiced Squash, Mushrooms, and Curried Yogurt
The nutty flavor of barley makes it a great choice in grain bowls with roasted vegetables, like this one with delicata squash and mushrooms. A topping of watercress (or arugula) makes a peppery finish, and the curry yogurt is essential.
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