Toasty Barley Nutty Side (Printable)
Tender toasted pearl barley cooked with herbs and butter for a flavorful, nutty side dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup pearl barley
→ Aromatics
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
04 - 2 ½ cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
→ Fats
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Seasonings & Herbs
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
08 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
09 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse the pearl barley under cold water and drain thoroughly.
02 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add barley and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and aromatic, about 5 to 7 minutes.
03 - Add finely chopped onion to the saucepan and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and thyme, cooking an additional minute.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes until barley is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and fluff barley with a fork.
07 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the barley before serving, if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The toasting step transforms ordinary barley into something with genuine depth and nutty richness that makes people pause mid-bite.
- It comes together in under an hour and somehow tastes like you spent all afternoon tending to it.
- Works as a quiet side dish or becomes the hero of a grain bowl, adapting to whatever else you're serving.
02 -
- Don't skip the toasting step even though it feels like an extra task—it's the difference between ordinary barley and something genuinely delicious.
- If the liquid evaporates too quickly before the barley is tender, add a splash of warm broth and continue cooking; if it's taking too long, raise the heat slightly under the lid.
03 -
- Toast your barley until it smells nutty and toasted, not just until it's light brown—that extra minute or two in the pan is where all the flavor lives.
- Use fresh broth if you can, or at least taste your store-bought broth before adding salt, since many are already seasoned.