Looking for a soul-warming vegetarian meal you can feel good about? This Creamy Baked Barley Risotto with Mushrooms is for you. Nutritious pearl barley prepared in a risotto style creates a creamy, satisfying base for savory sautéed mushrooms.
And the best part? This dish is prepared almost entirely in the oven with very little effort on your part. Yes, it nearly cooks itself.
Call it easy comfort food with a healthy twist if you like, it makes a cozy and delicious winter supper.
Why This Recipe Works
- Pearl barley is a wonderful and unexpected grain to use for making risotto. Because the outer hull and bran layers of the barley grain have been removed, it releases starch as it cooks, similar to Arborio rice, the traditional grain used for risotto.
- This dish employs a technique for an oven-baked risotto which means no standing at the stove and stirring constantly as you would when making a traditional risotto.
- The savory mushrooms added at the end of the cooking time are the perfect compliment to the creamy barley. Add a simple green salad and you've got an easy and nutritious meal for any night of the week!
What Makes This Recipe Nordic/Scandinavian?
The idea for this recipe came after visiting a New Nordic Cuisine exhibit at a local museum. One of the recipes showcased in the exhibit was a delicious looking barley risotto like this one; an excellent example of how a traditional Nordic ingredient (barley) can be transformed into something fresh and modern. I knew I had to give it a try. See the FAQ section below for more on the history of barley in Scandinavia.
Ingredients
- You must use PEARL BARLEY for making risotto (also sometimes called medium barley). Hulled barley or a quick barley will not work in this recipe. Hulled barley is a more whole version of the grain with only the outer hull removed. It takes significantly longer to cook than pearl barley which has both the outer husk and bran layers removed. Quick barley, on the other hand, is pre-steamed and takes only 10 or 15 minutes to cook (not long enough for this dish).
- You can use either chicken broth or vegetable broth. The choice is yours! I think chicken broth imparts a bit more flavor, but either one works just fine.
- Any variety of mushroom will work in this recipe. I usually use cremini mushrooms as they are easy to find and have good flavor.
- Just a splash of soy sauce added to the mushrooms at the end of cooking time brings a big umami boost to this dish. It might seem like an odd ingredient but I encourage you to include it!
How to Make This Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for one more minute.
- Add the barley, 3 cups of broth and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn off the heat and cover. Transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour or until the barley is tender.
- About 20 minutes before the risotto is done, cook the mushrooms: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender and browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and add the soy sauce, scraping up any brown bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the skillet. Season the mushrooms to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Remove the pot from the oven and transfer to the stove top over medium low heat. Carefully remove the lid (it will be very hot) and add the wine and remaining cup of broth. Stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes. Remove the heat and add the butter and parmesan. Stir until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is creamy. If the risotto seems dry, feel free to add more water or broth until the consistency is to your liking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Fold in the mushrooms and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately!
Expert Tips
- As I mentioned above, you must use pearl (also known as medium) barley in this recipe! Hulled or instant barley will not work here.
- Once the risotto comes out of the oven and you add the wine and remaining broth, stir vigorously. This will help create the creamy texture we are looking for in this barley risotto recipe.
- Leftovers? Lucky you! Try my recipe for barley risotto cakes. They are honestly AS GOOD as the risotto itself.
FAQs
Hulled barley is minimally processed. Only the inedible outer shell of the grain is removed leaving the bran intact. While this means your grains will take longer to cook (possibly over an hour), they are more nutritious. In order to speed cooking time and increase the bioavailability of nutrients, it helps to soak hulled barley overnight prior to cooking.
When pearl barley (or medium) is processed, the nutrient and fiber dense bran of the grain is removed. This shortens the cooking time of the grain but removes some of the nutrients and fiber that make barley an appealing grain from a health perspective. Even though pearl barley does not have the same nutritional punch as hulled barley, it still retains more nutrients than most processed grains.
Instant (or quick) barley is pre-steamed pearl barley and takes only 10 or 15 minutes to cook.
Barley has been an important crop in Scandinavia since the stone age. It grows well in the cold, wet weather of the Nordic region and does not require a long growing season. It was ground into flour to make bread, cooked to make porridge and malted to be used in the beer making process. It was (and still is) commonly used as food for livestock. Although its popularity as a bread flour waned as wheat became more available, barley is currently enjoy a bit of a renaissance. The New Nordic Cuisine movement has brought a fresh perspective to this ancient grain, highlighting its healthful properties and various culinary uses.
This risotto is best when served immediately, but it does reheat well in the microwave or over low heat on the stove. You will need to add a little additional water or broth in order to bring it back to a creamy consistency.
Refrigerate leftovers, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. And don't forget to make a batch of Crispy Barley Risotto Cakes! So good!
Yes! Be sure to use vegetable broth rather than chicken and a vegan butter in place of the regular butter. You can skip the parmesan altogether or use a vegan parmesan option instead.
Related Recipes
Looking for more barley recipes with a Nordic twist? Give these a try!
Creamy Baked Barley Risotto with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- For the RIsotto:
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 ½ cups pearl barley
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted buter
- Chopped fresh parsley or chives for serving
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- For the Mushrooms:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 10- ounce packages cremini mushrooms (about 4 cups) cleaned and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sayce
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook for one more minute.
- Add barley, 3 cups of the broth and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and then cover the pot and remove from the heat. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake until the barley is tender, about an hour.
- Meanwhile, cook the mushrooms: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender and browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the soy sauce, scraping up any brown bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Remove the pot from the oven and transfer to the stove top. Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the wine and remaining cup of broth. Stir constantly until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is creamy, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently fold in mushroom mixture, including any accumulated juices. Top with chopped fresh parsley or chives if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- You must use pearl (also known as medium) barley in this recipe! Hulled or instant barley will not work here.
- Once the risotto comes out of the oven and you add the wine and remaining broth, stir vigorously. This will help create the creamy texture we are looking for in this barley risotto recipe.
- Leftovers? Lucky you! Try my recipe for barley risotto cakes. They are honestly AS GOOD as the risotto itself.
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Creamy Baked Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
Suzanne Kanninen
My husband does not like risotto BUT liked this.one. even agreed to wanting again!! Hurray!! Very flavorful and creamy. Like the barley much better than the rice risotto. He suggested try different cheeses as well. Its a keeper. And my vegetarian daughter will live this as well.
Kristi
Hi Suzanne,
So glad you and your husband enjoyed it! Thanks so much for leaving a comment!
Kristi
Janie
How can I use cooked barley in this recipe?
Kristi
Hi Janie,
I've never tried it with cooked barley but I think you could just start the recipe at step 3 and go from there. I hope this helps!
Kristi