Mushroom-Barley Pilaf with Peas and Carrots

Mushroom-barley pilaf is a hearty, naturally vegan skillet main dish or side, perfect for warming up on chilly evenings. The classic duo of mushrooms and barley is as comforting in this easy skillet dish as it is in the famous soup.

The most time-consuming part of most barley recipes is cooking it, which takes a bit longer to cook than rice, or even brown rice. If you can do that step ahead of time, this comes together quickly.

A bit about barley

Barley can be just as versatile as rice and combines just as well with bold seasonings as it does with mild flavors. Two kinds of barley are generally available:

Pearl barley is the most familiar type, and the one you’re most likely to find on supermarket shelves. Pearling is accomplished by grinding off the tenacious hulls of the grain with the use of abrasive disks. Pearl barley isn’t a whole grain, then, but it still has plenty going for it.

Pot barley goes through fewer pearlings to remove most of the hull and some of the bran, leaving more of the nutrients intact. Pot barley has a deeper tan color than pale pearl barley.

Both pearl and pot barley are rich in the B vitamins, particularly niacin and thiamine, and provides good quantities of minerals, particularly potassium, as well as iron, phosphorus, and calcium.

Is barley gluten-free? Definitely not! Barley is 5 to 8 percent gluten, so should be avoided by those who have this concern. Learn lots more on this site’s Guide to Barley.

Pearl or pot barley for this recipe? Though this recipe calls for pearl barley, feel free to use pot barley, which leaves a bit more of the hull intact. That said, you’ll need even longer cooking time, unless using an Instant Pot or pressure cooker.

Any kind of mushroom: Use any kind of mushrooms you prefer or that are on hand. A combination is good as well. Choose from white, cremini (baby bella), portobello, shiitake, oyster … really, anything goes when it comes to mushrooms for this dish. 

Explore more…

• Cremini Mushroom Recipes
• Tomato-Barley Vegetable Soup
• Mixed Mushroom Barley Soup
• Barley Salad with Apricots and Pecans
• Tasty Recipes for Using Frozen Green Peas

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Yield: 4 to 6

Mushroom-Barley Pilaf with Peas and Carrots

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Mushroom-barley pilaf is a hearty, naturally vegan main dish or side, perfect for warming up on chilly evenings.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw pearl barley
• 3 cups water
• 1 large or 2 small vegetable bouillon cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup grated carrot (or quartered baby carrot)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces cleaned, stemmed, and coarsely chopped mushrooms (any variety)
• 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, optional
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the barley with the water and bouillon cubes in a medium saucepan. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat and simmer with a cover ajar for 40 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. If the barley isn’t done to your liking, add 1/2 cup more water and cook until absorbed; repeat if needed.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the carrot, garlic, and mushrooms, and continue to sauté until the vegetables are just tender.  
3. Add the cooked barley and peas, and cook over low heat, for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the parsley and dill, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Notes

Variation: To make this an even heartier main dish, add 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked or one 15-ounce can beans, drained and rinsed. Red or pink beans go particularly well with this, but use what you've got on hand.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 116Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 164mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 3g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used. This is given for informational purposes only and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

See lots more easy vegan main dishes and salads & sides.