I am a huge risotto fan but also try to eat healthy and I love barley so why not marry those two together and make barley risotto. This recipe is wholesome, nutritious and very easy to make. A perfect comfort dish on a cold weather day. It is definitely filling thanks to fiber rich barley and very satisfying, full of flavor and simply delicious.
I cannot get enough of the chewy barley with woodsy mushrooms and aromatic garlic. Barley is cooked risotto style and makes delicious side dish for any of your favorite proteins or serve it with a salad and make a complete meal out of it.
Barley risotto means cooking barley in a flavorful broth, beef in this recipe, complemented with flavor builders like fragrant garlic and shallots, white wine, thyme and mushrooms. We are using pearl barley variety which cooks faster then pot barley and works better in this dish. It is still full of nutritious benefits, hearty and filled to the brim with healthy whole grains. Barley is very flavorful, with nutty, buttery earthy flavors and chewy texture. White wine and rich beef broth add to the complexity of flavors.
Barley risotto is way less fussy and hands-on then it’s cousin, rice risotto. It basically simmered away on the stove by itself, as long as you stir once in a while and keep adding broth when the pot gets dry. You can easily make this dish vegetarian by swapping beef broth for vegetable broth. Add grated parmesan as a savory finishing touch and you have amazing cozy and nourishing dish on your plate completely effortless.
