Our 18 Best Barley Recipes to Help You Get to Know This Ancient Grain (2024)

Somewhere along the way, barley was deemed bland and unappealing. We're here to dispel that myth, because truth be told, barley is anything but boring. Barley is an ancient grain, meaning it has remained largely unchanged over the years. This means it's lower in gluten than modern more processed grains. It's also rich in nutrients, budget-friendly, and most importantly, it adds a chewy texture and nutty flavor to any dish. New to this ancient grain? Try incorporating more barley into your diet with our best barley recipes.

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Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

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"Threw the all the ingredients in the crockpot except the barley from the start," says reviewer BEBOC. "Cooked for 12 hours on low and added barley for the last half hour on high. This was very good. Easy and hearty for the winter!"

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Beaker's Vegetable Barley Soup

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Barley makes this vegetable soup as filling as it is nutritious. Reviewer Carrie says, "This is a great hearty soup with lots of flavor! Perfect for a cold day."

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Barley Risotto Primavera

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"Easy to make and bursting with flavor, this risotto uses barley instead of rice for an extra nutritional punch," says recipe creator Jen.

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Kerry's Beany Salad

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This nutritious and colorful salad makes a great weekday lunch or potluck addition. "This is fantastic," says reviewer Susan Yeatts. "I served it as a side dish today, but I think it is hearty enough to be a main course for a light summer meal! The flavors all work very well together and it is hard to believe all of the nutrition it packs!"

Sausage Barley Soup

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Reviewer SMIDGEN describes this recipe as, "a wonderful cold weather dish that tastes as good as it smells when cooking!"

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Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup

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Use leftover chicken to make tonight's warm and comforting barley soup. "It's an unexpected combination (the almonds with the veggies and the barley) that is delicious and leaves you very satisfied," says reviewer DANIEDB.

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Tomato Barley Soup

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This budget-friendly soup is guaranteed to become a part of your regular dinner rotation. "I didn't have fresh tomatoes so just stuck with canned," says reviewer thebrokedown.

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Brussels Sprouts and Barley Soup

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Reviewer cookie_cooker says, "So many of my favorite veggies & nutrient super stars are in this soup!" This hearty soup is chock full of veggies including green beans, turnips, leeks, carrots, bell pepper, and Brussels sprouts.

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Ash-e-jow (Iranian/Persian Barley Soup)

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"My best friend is Persian, and I love the rich flavour of Persian food," says reviewer pinkypink. "This soup is great and full of flavor. I've always tried to make Persian food myself, but whenever I've tried it doesn't taste the same as my best friend's mom. This is the closest I've gotten so far! Excellent recipe and really easy."

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Barley Bake

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"When I serve it as a main dish, I double the amount of mushrooms, that really gives it a meaty flavor without the meat," says reviewer Frann R. "Leftovers are good cold for summer outings." This simple recipe goes straight from the skillet to the oven, making for few dishes and little prep work.

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Barley Lime Fiesta Salad

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"This was DELICIOUS! Was trying to find a vegetarian based recipe and came across this one which surprised me because I happened to have most of the ingredients on hand and already chopped...the flavors just popped and even my husband, who could care less for barley, thought it was good," says reviewer OraProNobis. This chilled salad makes for great, no-reheat leftovers.

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Indian Curried Barley Pilaf

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"Made this for the first time this evening for dinner and it was a huge hit," says reviewer Bayla Meltzer. "In fact this was the first time I ever cooked barley in my entire life, but now thanks to this recipe I'll definitely be making it again." Curry powder gives a bold flavor to mild barley.

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Mediterranean Barley Salad

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"A great chilled whole-grain salad to serve with grilled chicken, or on its own for lunch. Can be improved with a combination of whole grains, but the barley works on its own," says recipe creator DrkEyedCajn.

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Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie II

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Lentils and pearl barley make this classic recipe vegetarian, but still just as filling as the original. "I made this for a dinner I had for several friends and everyone liked it. It presents well and is a good hearty vegetarian dish to serve," says reviewer BRH.

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Barley Mushroom Risotto

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"I might never make risotto with rice again," says reviewer KimFitzgerald. "The barley gives it a wonderful, nutty and chewy texture."

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Barley, Shrimp, and Corn Salad

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This bright and zesty seafood salad screams summertime. "I made this for a family picnic and everyone seemed to like it. The lemon gives it a nice tangy flavor, perfect for a hot day," says reviewer LINDA LASHLEY.

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Barley Chicken Casserole

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Change it up from the usual chicken and rice casseroles. "It's shocking how much this recipe makes. I was a little skeptical when I had all my ingredients prepped and was about to start cooking but was pleased when I was cleaning up and saw I had enough for lunch the next day. Thanks for the great recipe! It's an instant classic," says reviewer Archimedes.

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Mushroom Lentil Barley Stew

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Recipe creator diggergirl says it best: "This crock pot recipe is easy to assemble and needs no attention while it cooks. The flavors blend nicely to give it a wholesome earthy flavor that is unbelievably vegetarian. Serve with garlic bread."

Our 18 Best Barley Recipes to Help You Get to Know This Ancient Grain (2024)

FAQs

What is the best type of barley to eat? ›

Barley is high in fiber, especially beta-glucan, which may reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It may also aid weight loss and improve digestion. Whole-grain, hulled barley is more nutritious than refined, pearled barley. It can be substituted for any whole grain and easily added to your diet.

What foods are made with barley? ›

Uses: Barley can replace rice in stir fries, curries, and risottos. It is a common ingredient in soups and can also be added to salads and pilafs. The nuttiness of barley pairs well with flavors such as mushrooms, root vegetables, and apples.

What happens if you don't rinse barley? ›

Barley must be rinsed to remove any dust, dirt and debris just like you would with lentils for example. Preboiling removes any toxic substances that may be lurking on the barley and stops you from getting any of it.

What are the health benefits of barley? ›

Barley has various health benefits, including its ability to reduce blood levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-Cho), thereby lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease [3,4]; low glycemic index that assists with blood glucose and insulin management [5]; benefits for gut health [6]; and ability to reduce ...

Is it OK to eat barley every day? ›

Eating 3.6 grams of barley daily as a source of dietary fiber seems to reduce the risk of heart disease. High cholesterol. Eating 3-12 grams of barley daily seems to reduce total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in adults with high cholesterol.

Which is healthier barley or oatmeal? ›

If protein is your target, then barley is the clear choice. The excellent combination of fiber, protein and carbohydrates make barley a great post-workout snack as well. The caloric content is the one place where oatmeal wins out, if you are a calorie counter.

Why is barley not used anymore? ›

In the USA, because it is more expensive than rice, wheat, lentils, peas, beans, etc. Roughly three times as much on average in grocery stores. We grow a lot of barley. It gets used in brewing, and in breads.

What is the barley prophet food? ›

Barley was liked by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) very much. He used its bread, talbina and sattu (powdered barley).

What are 5 uses of barley? ›

Barley is a plant. The grain of barley is used to make medicine. Barley is used for lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and for promoting weight loss. It is also used for digestive complaints including diarrhea, stomach pain, and inflammatory bowel conditions.

Why did my barley turn pink? ›

Pink stained barley

Pink staining of barley can have a number of causes. The most obvious is the use of chemical applied as a seed treatment (ie. 'pickling'). However, pink and blue staining can be caused by coloured foam marker used as a spray guide when crop-topping (see photograph, Figure 1).

Does barley clean you out? ›

Among other health benefits of barley water, it also helps cleanse the internal system of the body by flushing out toxins. This happens due to the beta-glucans which are present in the barley's cell walls.

Why is my barley gummy? ›

For starters, make sure you're cooking your barley correctly — if you don't love its texture, you might be either undercooking or overcooking it. Remember that when cooking barley on the stove, it will take a while: bring the barley to a boil then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Is barley good for arthritis? ›

Even if you don't have celiac disease, the condition in which gluten damages your small intestine, you may want to consider eliminating gluten from your diet, as it may also lead to joint inflammation. To do this, avoid foods made with wheat, barley, and rye.

What is the best way to eat barley? ›

With its nutty flavor and pasta-like chew, barley is a versatile grain that makes an interesting alternative to rice, even in risotto. Try it for breakfast as a hot cereal with fruit or in savory-sweet porridge with ham and egg. Barley can be a wonderfully hearty addition to soups and salads, too.

Does barley reduce belly fat? ›

Barley water is an excellent addition to any diet if you want to lose weight. It can potentially reduce belly fat over time. In addition, its satiating properties help control hunger and cravings by making you feel fuller for longer. As a result, it leads to fewer calorie consumption and gradual weight loss.

What is the healthiest form of barley? ›

Whole-grain barley undergoes minimal processing, removing the inedible hull and leaving the germ and bran intact. It's the chewiest and healthiest variety but takes longer to cook. Pearled barley. This more refined grain is polished to remove some or all of the bran.

Which is better barley or pearl barley? ›

There are two types of barley available – pot barley and pearl barley. Pot barley is the more nutritious of the two but is less readily available and takes longer to cook. It is less refined than pearl, with only the outer husk removed, which also gives it a nuttier flavour.

Is pearled barley better than regular barley? ›

Nutritional value

If you have a choice, pick hulled barley over pearl. Hulled barley is a whole grain and contains more fiber and nutrients. Pearl barely is considered refined, but it is probably one of the most nutritious refined grains available. It contains a lot of fiber and is quite healthy to consume.

What is the least processed barley? ›

Hulled barley, also known as barley groats, is the least processed form of barley. It is harvested by removing only the outermost layer of the grain, leaving the bran and germ intact. This means that hulled barley is a whole grain that retains all its natural nutrients.

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