Barley Pilaf With Mushrooms

This Instant Pot Vegetarian Barley Pilaf with Mushrooms is so delectably savory that you’ll wonder why you’ve never made it before! It’s the perfect side dish for most everything .

Why You Really Must Make This Barley Pilaf With Mushrooms

If you’re looking for a fantastic side dish that’s also exceptionally easy to make, you’ve come to the right place. This Barley Pilaf With Mushrooms is truly one of those side dishes that you just can’t get enough of. I could honestly eat it as a main dish, and you’ll probably want to as well after trying some!

I used to make a similar dish almost 30 years ago. Why I stopped making it, I don’t know, but I’m glad I have a pressure cooker for this dish because it sure cuts down the time, the babysitting, the cooking water frothing all over the stove while I forgot about it—did I mention that I’m easily distracted?

This recipe seriously takes maybe 5-10 minutes on your part and the Instant Pot does the rest. It’s a great vegetarian side dish to make when you’ve got a main dish you’ve got to babysit or for those days that you just want something quick and easy that still tastes so good.

It also makes a fantastic vegetarian side dish, though I’m sure you’d enjoy it immensely even if you don’t live a vegetarian lifestyle.

Is Pearled Barley Healthy?

Pearled Barly actually has many health benefits. Though it is fairly high in carbs, they’re carbs that are rich in fiber, which have myriad health benefits such as improving heart health, and lowering the risk of diabetes. It’s also a great source of calcium and protein, which is especially beneficial for those on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Keep in mind though, that barley is NOT gluten-free . It contains about 8% gluten, so it should not be consumed by those trying to avoid gluten.

What Type of Barley Do I need for this Recipe?

This can get very confusing. I used pearled barley for this.

The least processed version is whole-grain barley. The inedible outer shell has been removed, and nutrient loss is minimal.
Next up is pearled barley. The shell has been removed and it has been polished. You’ve lost a little in the way of nutrients, but it’s easier to cook. This is the barley that I used for this Instant Pot Barley recipe.
Instant Barley takes minutes to cook and can be done easily on the stovetop. I wanted something a little less processed, and with a slightly longer cook time, so that it would take on the flavors of the mushrooms and onions. So that’s what I used.

How To Make Barley Pilaf With Mushrooms

Turn the Instant Pot on SAUTÉ HIGH. Add butter and when the butter melts, add onions and stir for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and stir to coat with the butter.
Add salt, pepper, barley , and water.
Press CANCEL to turn off Sauté. Press PRESSURE COOK and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15minutes.
Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure.
Stir in red wine vinegar and parsley and serve.

Tips And Tricks For Making Barley Pilaf With Mushrooms

This dish is great eaten hot as a side dish with vegetables, or cold, as a salad. You can also mix it with chopped cucumbers, onions and tomatoes as a cold salad.
This dish freezes very well, so do yourself a favor and make some extra so you can enjoy later with even less effort required!
To make this dish completely vegan-friendly, simply use olive oil in place of the butter.
I used to make this with a little red wine added to the broth, and that made for a lovely version. It colors the barley ever so slightly, and it’s quite pretty.
Use a medium pearled barley like this one for this recipe. Alternatively, find barley that takes 45-50 minutes to cook on the stovetop and use that.
Do not add other vegetables to this as they will not stand up to the long cook times. Mushrooms hold their shape over long cooking periods, so they’re a good thing to add.

Looking For A Good Main Dish To Enjoy This Barley Pilaf With? Check These Recipes Out!

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Herb Roast Chicken turns out amazing with this recipe designed for the air fryer. All the traditional flavors you want, with none of the fuss!
This air fried Flank Steak with Zhoug comes out perfect every time! The steak comes out tender and juicy and the zhoug adds a little kick!

Looking for more great mushroom dishes? Check out my Instant Pot Mushroom Stroganoff !

Barley Pilaf With Mushrooms

This Barley Pilaf with Mushrooms is so delectably savory that you’ll wonder why you’ve never made it before! It’s the perfect side dish for most everything!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Olive Oil, or Butter
2 cups Mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Pearled Barley, medium
1 cup water

For Finishing

Red Wine Vinegar, or lemon juice
1/4 cup Chopped Parsley

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot on SAUTE HIGH. Add butter and when the butter melts, add onions and stir for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and stir to coat with the butter.
Add salt, pepper, barley, and water.
Press CANCEL to turn off Sauté. Press PRESSURE COOK and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes.
Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure.
Stir in red wine vinegar and parsley and serve.

Notes

This dish is great eaten hot as a side dish with vegetables, or cold, as a salad. You can also mix it with chopped cucumbers, onions and tomatoes as a cold salad.
This dish freezes very well, so do yourself a favor and make some extra so you can enjoy later with even less effort required!
To make this dish completely vegan-friendly, simply use olive oil in place of the butter.
I used to make this with a little red wine added to the broth, and that made for a lovely version. It colors the barley ever so slightly, and it’s quite pretty.
Use a medium pearled barley like this one for this recipe. Alternatively, find barley that takes 45-50 minutes to cook on the stovetop and use that.
Do not add other vegetables to this as they will not stand up to the long cook times. Mushrooms hold their shape over long cooking periods, so they’re a good thing to add.

Spiced Turmeric Latte

One of my favorite aspects about this Spiced Turmeric Latte is it’s gorgeous, bright color. That’s the turmeric shining through and its vibrant color has always amazed me. Turmeric is definitely one of my favorite spices due to its many health benefits. A spicy, delicious, and healthy drink? Yes, please!

This latte is absolutely delicious no matter how you prefer to drink it. However, you can choose to do it with or without ice. An iced coffee style for this drink is definitely a “must try.” I prefer it either way and many who try this drink do as well.

There are so many health benefits to this drink. Of course, it tastes great, but there’s nothing better than a delicious drink that also does great things for your health. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory, boosts brain function, as well as antioxidant capabilities within your body.

In the photo below, you can see the iced version of the Spiced Turmeric Latte. This is my favorite way to drink it, personally. It’s great hot or iced, so give it a try.

What is an Instant Pot Ace Blender?

Secondly, let me direct you to my review on youtube for this blender, and you can decide if it’s right for you.

If you want some more info about the Instant Pot Blender, watch my Ace Blender video on YouTube , or in the box to the right of your screen on this post.

https://youtu.be/LkyuWsT7jhQ

How To Make a Spiced Turmeric Latte

Place water, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, ground pepper, and sweetener into the blender.
Press RICE 2 setting. Once the blender panel reads DONE, carefully open the lid and add the almond or other milk. Close the lid.
Press BLEND LOW. Allow the blender to incorporate the almond milk for 10 seconds. Press CANCEL to turn off the blender.
Using a wire strainer, strain the latté into 4 mugs and serve hot, or strain and refrigerate to cool, shake well, and serve over ice.

Tips for Making a Spiced Turmeric Latte

Do not attempt to make this latté with the almond milk poured in at the beginning, as you may have the latté bubble up and overflow, creating a huge mess in your kitchen. Can you guess how I know this?
Turmeric is an acquired taste. It can taste very bitter to a lot of people. If you’ve never had a turmeric latte before, I suggest starting with about half the turmeric in this recipe and then working your way up.
You can also cut the bitterness with added sweetener or added cinnamon.
Of course, you can make this on the stovetop as well by following the same directions.
Substitute any type of milk including full fat, half and half, rice milk, etc. for the almond milk. If using a thicker concoction like half and half, you may need less than the specified amount, or risk getting a very milky latte–which is not a terrible thing!

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

A close up of a glass of Keto Iced Caramel Macchiato. - 16

Another great low carb beverage option is my Keto Iced Caramel Macchiato . It’s low carb, low sugar and every bit as good as a caramel macchiato from a fancy cafe!
You might also enjoy a great cup of masala chai .
Another favorite from my site is the Instant Pot Boba Tea

Spiced Turmeric Latte

Equipment

Instant Pot Ace Blender

Ingredients

▢ 3 cups Water
▢ 2 teaspoons turmeric
▢ 2 teaspoons Minced Ginger
▢ 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
▢ 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
▢ 2 tablespoons Splenda , or 1/4 cup sugar
▢ 2 cups almond milk , or other milk

Instructions

Place water, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, ground pepper, and sweetener into the blender.
Press RICE 2 setting. Once the blender panel reads DONE, carefully open the lid and add the almond or other milk. Close the lid.
Press BLEND LOW. Allow the blender to incorporate the almond milk for 10 seconds. Press CANCEL to turn off the blender.
Using a wire strainer, strain the latté into 4 mugs and serve hot, or strain and refrigerate to cool, shake well, and serve over ice.
Do not attempt to make this latté with the almond milk poured in at the beginning, as you may have the latté bubble up and overflow, creating a huge mess in your kitchen. Can you guess how I know this?
Turmeric is an acquired taste. It can taste very bitter to a lot of people. If you’ve never had a turmeric latte before, I suggest starting with about half the turmeric in this recipe and then working your way up.
You can also cut the bitterness with added sweetener or added cinnamon.
Of course, you can make this on the stovetop as well by following the same directions.
Substiute any type of milk including full fat, half and half, rice milk, etc. for the almond milk. If using a thicker concoction like half and half, you may need less than the specified amount, or risk getting a very milky latte–which is not a terrible thing!

Barley Pilaf With Mushrooms