Barley is a grain that you may only know from beef barley soup. Well, there are many more ways than just soup to enjoy barley, and it has a fabulous taste all on its own. Here are a few ways to eat barley.
- In soup - Look past beef barley soup! Barley is a great addition to many soups. Here's an Armenian-inspired recipe for a warm yogurt barley soup with paprika.
- Drink it! - Barley has been used in many drinks. Here's a nutty Korean tea of barley, called boricha. Barley can also be made into a refreshing lemon barley water.
- In a beet salad - There's something about the earthiness of beets and barley that suits them to one another. Here's a hot pink salad with feta and red onion, and another with golden beets and rainbow chard.
- For breakfast - A little cooked barley with a splash of milk and some honey makes a nice change from the usual oatmeal.
- In a barley risotto - Try this cauliflower risotto from Gourmet; it's an interesting change for risotto, which is usually made from rice.
Do you have a favorite soup, salad, or other dish that shows off barley?
• What's the Difference? Hulled vs. Pearl Barley
• Good Question: How Do I Cook Barley?
• From the Files: Warm Grain Salads for Fall
More 5 Ways to Eat Posts:
These posts are all ingredients paired with Social Workout's daily exercise over at their Fall Challenge.
Carrots • Cauliflower • Artichokes • Fresh Ginger • Flax Seeds &bull Bok Choy • Brown Rice • Brussels Sprouts •Blueberries • Spinach • Black Beans • Raisins • Kale • Dark Chocolate • Green Tea • Edamame • Quinoa • Broccoli • Oats • Beets
(Images: Romulo Yanes/Gourmet; Emily Ho)
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aw thanks for posting this! i have barley that's been sitting my pantry forever because i didn't know what to do with it.
you read my mind! i've been eating barley-beet salad almost every day this week. yum.
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I love cooking rolled barley flakes and cream of rice for breakfast. The barley has a nice chew.
You can also add some when cooking rice. My mother used to do this all the time with plain white rice in order to make it more nutritious and to add a subtle nuttiness.
I'll take my barley in a pint glass at the local pub.
I like to mix cooked barley with dried cranberries (or other dried berries), fresh sage, salt, pepper, some butter, and some browned italian veggie sausage (could use regular sausage) and then bake it for a while til the top is crusty. its delicious with butternut squash or sweet potatoes or something like that on the side.
Can we continue these "5 Ways" posts past the end of the month? They are so helpful!
I make a barley and edamame salad that I adapted from an old Cooking Light recipe.
This is adapted from a Cooking Light recipe
Barley and Edamame Salad
Dressing
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Salad
1 cup cooked pearl barley (cook ahead as this takes about 45 minutes)
1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped red onions (I've used onion powder and diced water chestnuts for the crunch because of an onion texture hater in the house)
1 tsp minced garlic
8 ounces frozen shelled edamame, thawed
Combine the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended; set aside.
Combine cooked barley, bell pepper, red onion and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, tossing well to combine.
Add the dressing and toss gently to coat evenly. Let stand 15 minutes.
It tastes even better the next day
I drink barley tea daily, if I can keep it stocked in my pantry. I prefer it cold, but it's great hot too.