Barley Mushroom "Risotto"
Whole-grain comfort: chewy barley turned creamy, with deep mushrooms and a clean finish.
Timing: 55 mins
Barley Mushroom "Risotto"
Whole-grain comfort: chewy barley turned creamy, with deep mushrooms and a clean finish.
Timing: 55 mins
Key move
Toast the barley, then add hot broth gradually--starch + reduction is what makes it creamy.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
Leagues
Put This Plate On The Line
Find the dish standard, study the titleholder, or judge the field when voting opens.
The Setup
- Dutch Oven or Heavy Pot5–6 qt
- LadleOptional
- Wooden Spoon
The Mise en Place
5 of 10Your prep station before cooking begins
Aromatics (0/2)
Seasoning (0/2)
The Braise (0/2)
My barley still feels a little tough after cooking.
That can happen sometimes, different brands have different needs.
The dish is missing something, it tastes a bit bland.
Let's brighten it up. Add a tiny pinch more salt to really make the flavors pop, and a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. A final little drizzle of good olive oil will tie everything t…
Chef's Notes
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of broth or water and stir until creamy again.
The Method
BROWN
Prep aheadHeat olive oil (2 tbsp) in a pot over medium-high. Add mushrooms (1 lb) with a pinch of salt and cook 8-10 minutes until browned and most moisture is gone.
Mushrooms are browned with no watery puddle
SAUTE
Time-sensitiveAdd onion (1 whole) and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic (3 cloves) and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Onion soft; garlic fragrant not burnt
TOAST
Stir in barley and toast 2 minutes until it smells nutty.
Barley smells toasty, not raw
SIMMER
Add 1 cup hot broth and stir until mostly absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2-1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender and creamy, 30-35 minutes.
Barley tender with chew; pot looks glossy and creamy
FINISH
Remove from heat. Stir in pepper, a drizzle of olive oil (2 tbsp), Parmesan (if using), and lemon juice (1 tsp) (if using). Taste and adjust salt.
Flavor tastes complete: savory, bright, and rich
Related Techniques
Appears in collections
Keep browsing by the kind of recipe choice this supports, not just this single dish.
+1 more collection inside Recipes.
Browse all recipe paths →Master These Next
Lamb Ragu
Fall-apart tender lamb in a rich, wine-infused tomato sauce. The perfect Sunday supper.
Roberta's Pizza Dough
00 Flour, cold fridge, 3 days waiting. Best crust of your life.
Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins
The department store legend. Mash half the berries, keep half whole.