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. For inspiration on how to incorporate this tasty, toothsome grain into your cooking, browse our best barley recipes.
01of 18
Barley Gratin with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/barley-gratin-with-roasted-cherry-tomatoes-XL-RECIPE2017-4fc343f820bd470fa54d11cde0d5aedb.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (1)")
This satisfying meal can easily be prepared in less than an hour. We love the sweet roasted cherry tomatoes that add the perfect pop of flavor. Feel free to swap out breadcrumbs for salted crackers for even more crunch.
Get the Recipe
02of 18
Mushroom Barley Soup with Mini Meatballs
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/200711-xl-mushroom-barley-soup-with-mini-meatballs-2000-b42451d739764d82adfd02beb1f9fe94.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (2)")
Former F&W editor Grace Parisi has always been a fan of mushroom barley soup with beef that has been simmered until succulent. For a clever shortcut that still delivers deep flavor, she replaces the beef with meatballs made from a quick mix of sirloin, egg, breadcrumbs, and cheese.
Get the Recipe
03of 18
Lemony Barley Salad with Kale Pesto
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/hd-201408-r-Lemony-Barley-Salad-with-Kale-7b0a54a422a54aaa8f45fa52d9e31ca4.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (3)")
Kale does double duty here: Some of the leaves are pureed with lemon juice and olive oil for a phenomenal pesto, and some of them are torn into pieces that are stirred into the cooked barley at the end.
Get the Recipe
04of 18
Barley and Rice with Sesame Oil and Chives
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201112-xl-barley-and-rice-with-sesame-oil-and-chives-2000-6ae892d7565c47a4b382d67004540266.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (4)")
Boribap, or barley with rice, is a popular Korean side dish that combines white rice with plump, nutty grains of barley. In their version, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and his wife Marja mix in toasted sesame oil and minced chives for more flavor.
Get the Recipe
05of 18
Zucchini and Spinach Soup with Barley, Coriander, and Watercress
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201307-xl-zucchini-and-spinach-soup-with-barley-2000-f736069dd72642848af75b3081e471cf.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (5)")
Chef Justin Cogley adds barley to this lovely, delicate, spring-like soup, which makes it hearty but not heavy.
Get the Recipe
06of 18
Mashed Banana and Whole-Grain Porridge
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-201312-r-mashed-banana-and-whole-grain-porridge-6ef211ffd01b4189bfb961b658639352.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (6)")
Making wheat berries for breakfast can require waking up before sunrise, since the grains take at least an hour to cook. But, thanks to new flash-freezing technology, excellent precooked whole grains like barley, quinoa, and wheat berries are ready in the time it takes to brew coffee. F&W culinary director at large Justin Chapple turns frozen grains into a porridge that's great with all kinds of toppings.
Get the Recipe
07of 18
Barley Crêpes with Cabbage and Sauce Pierre
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/barley-crepes-with-brassicas-and-sauce-pierre-xl-RECIPE0718-99b23f534b884c379480ac9198349651.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (7)")
For this dish, 2018 F&W Best New Chef Brady Williams envelops grilled fermented cabbage in savory crêpes made from whole wheat and malted barley flours. They're accompanied by a rich sauce made with lots of butter and dry vermouth.
Get the Recipe
08of 18
Chicken and Barley Stew with Dill and Lemon
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201203-xl-chicken-and-barley-stew-2ec310165a16405083ae8c2aff94e6f6.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (8)")
This one-pot dinner from Gail Simmons is an enriched take on classic chicken soup with rice; at once flavorful, hearty, and comforting. She swaps the rice out for pearled barley and finishes each bowl with chopped fresh tarragon and a dusting of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Get the Recipe
09of 18
Barley Risotto with Garlicky Mushrooms
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201203-xl-barley-with-risotto-with-mushrooms-80278fd82808447faaec94be1777f4a5.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (9)")
Chef Naomi Pomeroy uses barley to make her hearty version of risotto, packed with sautéed oyster mushrooms. The dish is substantial enough to be a main course for a lunch; to make it vegetarian, substitute good vegetable stock for the beef broth.
Get the Recipe
10of 18
Ultimate Veggie Burgers
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Ultimate-Veggie-Burgers-FT-Recipe-0821-5d7532c53a924a7298d2175cf1d4219f.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (10)")
These veggie burgers hit every satisfying, savory note with a hearty mix of pearl barley, chickpeas, mushrooms, and crispy panko. For the sturdiest patties, evenly distribute the panko by stirring the patty mixture until very well combined.
Get the Recipe
11of 18
Warm Broccoli and Barley Pilaf
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/original-201204-HD-warm-broccoli-and-barley-pilaf-73eca097a0504a43a8ab40f6e05f7ccf.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (11)")
People tend to cook barley more in the winter than in the summer. But once it's been toasted in a saucepan with some butter and boiled (only 20 minutes), barley is a terrific showcase for super-fresh vegetables, like the broccoli we use here.
Get the Recipe
12of 18
Three-Grain Cereal with Dates and Cinnamon
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-201107-r-Three-Grain-Cereal-with-Dates-and-Cinnamon-5a9ca1ab107f48a48167cc3fca9ff896.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (12)")
Chef Quinn Hatfield cooks big batches of pearled barley and quinoa to keep in his refrigerator for this hot cereal, which comes together in minutes. He also uses the grains in salads. The mixture of cinnamon and chopped dates makes this breakfast nicely sweet — no extra sugar needed.
Get the Recipe
13of 18
Barley Salad with Parsley and Walnuts
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-200805-r-barley-salad-parsley-walnuts-15ab1749eabf4543a4ec53f4e5a57b0c.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (13)")
Barley is versatile enough to be served warm or at room temperature, as in this terrific salad with walnuts, parsley, and salty bits of ricotta salata cheese in a lemon-garlic vinaigrette. It can be served as a main course or as a side for grilled chicken or pork.
Get the Recipe
14of 18
Spicy Grain Soup
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-fw200611_soup3-940de7ecdda34dda909c9684a426baa3.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (14)")
Based on a brothy tortilla soup, this fiery, substantial soup is full of nutty-tasting barley, brown rice, and bulgur, creating a dish that's high in fiber.
Get the Recipe
15of 18
Pearled Barley Salad with Apples, Pomegranate Seeds, and Pine Nuts
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/HD-201003-r-apple-grain-salad-54c3c8bee70f474b9987a44cb27db54d.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (15)")
This hearty salad combines thyme-scented barley with pomegranate, apple, and pine nuts.
Get the Recipe
16of 18
Yayla Çorbası (Turkish Yogurt Soup) with Velibah
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/yayla-corbasi-turkish-yogurt-soup-with-velibah-FT-RECIPE0121-baccad73da8c49218b84d9c8ebba2305.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (16)")
Although most Turks will opt for a pillowy square of pide bread to accompany this soup of yogurt, barley, and dried mint, buttery-crisp velibah stuffed with feta and potato is a go-to for editor Oset Babür's family, who hails from Ossetia, a state in the South Caucasus.
Get the Recipe
17of 18
Pearl Barley Porridge with Ham and Eggs
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201403-xl-pearl-barley-porridge-with-ham-and-eggs-2000-570baff5b7e849e987b74ca4b85c1ac8.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (17)")
Chef Dave Chang first made this recipe at a food conference in Copenhagen, when he had very little to work with. He simmered barley in local apple cider with chicken stock and kombu, creating a deliciously sweet and savory porridge.
Get the Recipe
18of 18
Mushroom-Barley Soup
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/201011-xl-mushroom-barley-soup-9e1a92b87c644901a75860d950610f31.jpg "Our 18 Best Barley Recipes (18)")
"Designer soups," as Jordon Carroll calls chef-inspired pureed soups, often have lots of added butter and cream. She prefers old-fashioned ones like Grace Parisi's mushroom-barley, which gets its flavor from good-quality beef stock.
Get the Recipe
