Baked Kale Barley Risotto
If you’ve never made risotto before, you have to try this easy kale barley risotto. It starts on the stove and then bakes in the oven for most of the cook time. You stir in a simple kale pesto with toasted walnuts, garlic and parmesan.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 cups torn kale leaves (curly kale or lacinato kale)
- 1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- For the kale pesto, finely chop the garlic, 1 cup kale leaves, walnuts, parmesan, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. With the motor running, slowly pour 1/3 cup olive oil through the feeder tube. Continue processing until the pesto is fully combined.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an ovenproof large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onions until they are soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the barley and cook for 1 minute until opaque. Pour in the wine, letting it bubble and be absorbed by the barley.
- Add the veggie broth and bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the barley is tender.
- Stir in the kale pesto. Then fold in the remaining kale. The heat from the rice will soften the leaves in a couple minutes.
- Divide the risotto into serving dishes and top with grated parmesan and walnuts as desired.
Notes
To make the recipe gluten free, use arborio rice instead of barley.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Warm the risotto on the stove in a large skillet over low heat, stirring it. Or warm it in the microwave. The grains will soften more the longer you store them and when you rewarm them.
Nutrition
Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 725mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5088IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 220mg | Iron: 3mg