Wild Mushroom Barley

Barley with mushrooms and spinach on a plate.

4.75 from 4 votes

Vegan side dish or main, this wild mushroom barley has a mix of sautéed mushrooms stirred with baby spinach and wholesome grains. It's fragrant with fresh herbs and garlic.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Paige Adams

Ingredients

1 cup pearled barley
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces wild mushrooms (oyster, enoki, beech, portobello, shiitake, cremini, sliced if large or separated, if in bunches)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups baby spinach
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine the barley and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes until tender but chewy. Let stand for 2-3 minutes and fluff with a fork. Drain the remaining water if necessary.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to brown.
Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper and continue cooking for a few minutes until the mushrooms are caramelized and fragrant.
Fold the barley and spinach into the mushrooms, letting the leaves wilt.
Stir in the parsley and chives.

Notes

If you can’t find a variety of mushrooms, use sliced cremini mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms instead.

You can use brown rice or farro instead of barley.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Warm them in the microwave or eat them cold as a salad. You can stir in fresh spinach, arugula or other leafy greens and add a little balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.

Nutrition