This tasty pearl barley risotto recipe ticks all the boxes; quick and simple to make and highly nutritious. Not only does it provide 3 different vegetables to notch up your veggie intake, but is is also an excellent protein rich meal. Replacing the traditional rice for a pearl barley risotto, along with protein rich mushrooms makes this meal an excellent vegan meal choice. Packed with fibre, you’ll find this meal incredibly filling…a little goes a long way!
Prep time 15mins
Cook time 40mins
Serves 3-4
Mushroom and Savoy Cabbage Pearl Barley Risotto
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil extra virgin
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 150 g Pearl Barley
- 250 g Chestnut Mushrooms sliced
- ½ Savoy cabbage finely shredded
- 1 Onion finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 500 ml hot water
- 1 tbsp Mixed Herbs dried
- 100 g grated Parmesan V Optional (use Nutritional yeast instead)
Instructions
- In a deep-sided pan (with lid), heat the oil and ghee together. (V – simply use a little more olive oil)
- Add the onions and sauté for 5mins over a gentle heat, until they are translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for a further minute, before adding the mushrooms.
- Toss to combine and allow the mushrooms to soften. Then add the shredded cabbage, season with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper and toss until well combined.[To ensure the cabbage was finely shredded, I used a Mandolin kindly gifted from Sous Chef]
- Once the vegetable mixture has reduced a little, add the pearl barley, mixed herbs and hot water. Mix well and cover.
- Reduce the heat and cook for 25mins until the pearl barley is cooked; it should be a larger grain that is soft to eat. Check seasoning and add more salt if necessary to bring out the flavour.
- Serve immediately and sprinkle each portion generously with grated parmesan cheese (V optional)
Notes
This tasty pearl barley risotto is quick to make and a highly nutritious vegan meal choice
Pearl Barley Risotto: Nutritional Nugget
Barley is a grain that has a chewy, nutty texture, lending itself perfectly to use in a risotto as well as soups and stews. Whilst pearl barley is the barley grain that has had the outer bran removed, it still has an impressive nutrient profile. It is an excellent source of soluble fibre, which is the type of fibre that helps to remove cholesterol, toxins and other waste products from the blood. As well as good levels of B vitamins, which are essential for energy production, pearl barley also contains the antioxidants Vitamin E, beta-carotene, Lutein and Zeaxanthin; nutrients essential for eye health. What is Nutritional Yeast? Nutritional yeast flakes are an excellent addition to boost the nutritional value of your meal, particularly if vegan. These flakes are fortified with B12 and provide good levels of B vitamins and minerals. Yeast flakes are a natural food grown on fortified beet molasses under carefully controlled conditions. They are delicious dissolved in water to create a stock which can then be used in soups, stews and casseroles to enhance their flavour and is often used as a vegan alternative to cheese. Sprinkle on top of meals such as pasta for a Parmesan tasting finishing touch.
To make this easy Pearl Barley Risotto recipe, you’ll need:
- 2tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Ghee (V optional)
- 150g Pearl Barley
- 250g Chestnut Mushrooms
- ½ Savoy Cabbage, finely shredded.
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 large cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- 500ml Hot Water (or stock)
- 1 tbsp dried Mixed Herbs
- 100g grated Parmesan [V optional; use Nutritional yeast instead]
- Salt & Pepper
Here’s how:
In a deep-sided pan (with lid), heat the oil and ghee together. (V – simply use a little more olive oil)
Add the onions and sauté for 5mins over a gentle heat, until they are translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for a further minute, before adding the mushrooms.
Toss to combine and allow the mushrooms to soften. Then add the shredded cabbage, season with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper and toss until well combined.
[To ensure the cabbage was finely shredded, I used a Mandolin kindly gifted from Sous Chef]
Once the vegetable mixture has reduced a little, add the pearl barley, mixed herbs and hot water. Mix well and cover.
Reduce the heat and cook for 25mins until the pearl barley is cooked; it should be a larger grain that is soft to eat. Check seasoning and add more salt if necessary to bring out the flavour.
Serve immediately and sprinkle each portion generously with grated parmesan cheese (V optional, use Nutritional Yeast instead if desired)
This tasty pearl barley risotto is quick to make and a highly nutritious vegan meal choice
NB: I prefer to use water and season well with salt. That way, the flavours of the vegetables and ingredients are not masked by the stock, which can be overpowering. However, feel free to use a good quality stock if desired.
Nutritional Nugget
Barley is a grain that has a chewy, nutty texture, lending itself perfectly to use in a risotto as well as soups and stews. Whilst pearl barley is the barley grain that has had the outer bran removed, it still has an impressive nutrient profile. It is an excellent source of soluble fibre, which is the type of fibre that helps to remove cholesterol, toxins and other waste products from the blood. As well as good levels of B vitamins, which are essential for energy production, pearl barley also contains the antioxidants Vitamin E, beta-carotene, Lutein and Zeaxanthin; nutrients essential for eye health.
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