Learning how to cook barley is one of the easiest ways to add variation into your grain and cereal consumption. Barley is an inexpensive and readily available grain with a nutty flavour and and chewy texture.
While it's not gluten free, barley contains both soluble and insoluble fibre, making it a great grain alternative for those who can eat gluten. Like lots of grains, you can get barley as a flour and even as rolled flakes (like rolled oats!) but in this post we will talk about the grain in it's more intact form and how to cook it.
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Pearl Barley vs Pot Barley
There are two types of barley—pearl and pot. While both are nutritious, pearl barley has been polished, meaning that the bran has been removed. Pot barley, on the other hand, is a whole grain, has had less processing and is higher in fibre.
Pearl barley is more easy to find than pot barley and the type people enjoy most. If you are cooking barley for the first time, I recommend making pearl barley.
Pearl and pot barley can be cooked in the same methods, although cooking pearl barley will take longer than pot barley. On the stove top pearl barley takes about 40-45 minutes while pot barley will take nearly an hour.
Pearl barley (first) is lighter in colour and looks more round in shape. The grains are uniform and smooth.
Pot barley (second) is rougher in texture and darker in colour. Because it still has the bran on it, it looks more like a grain or grass.
Where Can I Find Barley?
Most grocery stores will sell pearl barley (it will be near the rice and other grains). If you don't see it near the rice, look for it in the grain aisle or bulk food section of the grocery store.
Pot barley is less common to find, but you will be able to find it at most natural food stores. If the barley isn't labeled, it's safe to assume that it is pearl barley.
Cooking Methods
There are a few options for how to cook barley—you can do it on the stove top, in the oven, or in an Instant Pot. If you haven't cooked barley before, I recommend the stove top as it is most like cooking other grains or rice.
Stove Top
Step 1: to cook your barley on the stove top, add the water, salt, barley, and butter (if using) together in a medium pot.
Step 2: turn the mixture to high and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn the heat down to the lowest heat and cover to pot with a lid. The pearl barley will be ready and tender after 40-45 minutes of simmering. Pot barley cooked in the same way will be ready at 50-60 minutes.
If there is any water left in the pot, drain it then fluffy the barley with a fork and serve.
You can always check your barley halfway through cooking to make sure there is water left in the pot. If it is very low on water, feel free to add a little more and cover it again with the lid.
Oven Baked
Step 1: to bake your barley, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the pearl or pot barley in a dutch oven along with the water, salt, and butter (if using). Stir it to combine.
Step 2: cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil.
Step 3: bake it in the oven for 1 hour.
Step 4: after 1 hour, remove the lid and foil. Fluff the barley with a fork, then serve it.
Instant Pot Method
To cook barley in an Instant Pot, add the barley, water, salt, and butter (if using) to your pot.
Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes is up, do a quick release of the pressure.
Once the pressure has been released, lift the lid and a fluff the barley with a fork.
How to Cook Barley as a Pilaf
You can make any of these barley dishes a pilaf by adding garlic, dried herbs, or even dried fruit to your cooking method.
For even more flavour, swap the water, salt, and butter for a stock, like this vegan bone broth, and cook the barley as normal.
How to Serve Barley
Barley can be served as you would any other grain—just let your imagination go wild:
- Try serving barley as the base of your grain bowls.
- Use it as the base for a grain salad.
- Try as you would a fried rice.
- Swap barley in for recipes where you'd typically use quinoa or rice.
- Use it as the base for a breakfast bowl. A local cafe serves it with veggies and a miso sauce for breakfast.
- Add it to your favourite soups—mushroom and tomato veggie are great with barley!
- You can reheat barley in a microwave or in a small pot with with a splash of water over medium low heat.
Top Tips
- No need to soak: like rice, barley does not need to be soaked before use—you can cook it from dry.
- Rinse if needed: some people like to rinse their barley prior to cooking to remove any dust. But the quality of barley has gotten so good this is not necessary. If your barley looks extra "dusty" you can rinse the uncooked grain in a mesh strainer until the water runs clear if you like.
- Find it in bulk: look for barley in the grain aisle or bulk section of the grocery store. Most all will carry pearl barley.
How to Store
Storage: cooked barley will keep for about 4 days in the fridge in a sealed container.
Freezing: freeze cooked grains to add to soups and stews in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Dried: dried barley can be storied in the pantry along with dried beans and grains.
Troubleshooting
- If you can't find barley at your local grocery store, look for it online. Most large online retailers will have it.
- If you end up cooking too much, try freezing it in small cup sized portions then adding it to soup or stew while cooking.
- If you find your barley sticking to the bottom of the pot or burning, try turning down the element heat. You can also add a little more water as all stoves are different and have different levels of heat.
- If you find your barley needs more water to cook, you can always add a little more. If there is any water left in the pot after cooking, you can drain it like rice.
FAQ
Is barley the same as wheat?
Barley and wheat are related, both in the grass family, and both contain gluten. Barley is usually sold as a grain and cooked whole, rather than ground into flour to use in bread or baking.
Is barley a bean or grain?
Barley is a grain and contains gluten. Historically very important and used more extensively in ancient times, its use has largely been replaced by modern wheat.
Is barley more healthy than rice?
Pearl barley contains about twice the amount of fibre than rice, and is also higher in calcium. They contain approximately the same amount of protein, so if you're looking to add more fibre to your diet, barley might be a better option.
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Recipe
How to Cook Barley
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium pot Dutch oven or Instant Pot
Ingredients
Stove Top Method
- 1 cup pearl or hulled barley
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-1½ tablespoons vegan butter optional
Oven Baked Method
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 2 cups boiling water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-1½ tablespoons vegan butter optional
Instant Pot Method
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 2½ cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-1½ tablespoons vegan butter optional
Instructions
Stove Top
- Add the water, salt, butter, and barley together in a medium pot.1 cup pearl or hulled barley, 3 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt, 1-1½ tablespoons vegan butter
- Turn the mixture to high and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, cover the pot and turn the heat down to a low simmer.
- Pearl barley will be ready and tender around 40-45 minutes simmering, while pot barley will be ready at 50-60 minutes.
- If there is any water left in the pot, drain it then fluff the barley with a fork and serve.
Oven Baked
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the barley in a dutch oven along with the water, salt, and spices or butter (if using). Stir to combine the mixture.1 cup pearl barley, 2 cups boiling water, ½ teaspoon salt, 1-1½ tablespoons vegan butter
- Cover the pot with aluminum foil to seal it well and then top with the lid. Bake it for around 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, remove the lid and foil. Fluff the barley with a fork, then serve it.
Intant Pot Method
- Add the barley, water, salt, and butter to your Instant Pot.1 cup pearl barley, 2½ cups water, ½ teaspoon salt, 1-1½ tablespoons vegan butter
- Pressure cook it on high for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes is up, do a quick release of the pressure.
- Once the pressure has been released, lift the lid and a fluff the barley with a fork.
Notes
- Pearl barley can be cooked by simmering it directly in a soup. Just be sure to add more liquid as it will absorb some of the stock.
- Barley is cooked when it has absorbed most of the the water and has expanded in size. It will be soft yet chewy.
- Like rice, barley tends to foam while cooking, so check it often so it doesn't foam over.
- To make your barley a pilaf, try adding dried herbs, fresh garlic, or spices while it cooks.
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