Barley Mushroom Risotto

I liked the flavor but the second time, I changed a few things. I melted 3tsp of butter and added the barley stirring until it turned a nut brown color, then added onions and the mushrooms for 5 min and then used beef broth instead. Nice flavor.

Awesome recipe and compatible with Weight Watchers (4 points) especially if you cut the fat. I suggest parching the barley in olive oil and sauteeing the mushrooms in a pan coated with cooking spray. Keep the chicken stock hot to avoid change in temperature of the risotto. Ensures creaminess and more timely cooking.

My boyfriend and I really liked this. I used some of the reviewers recomendations and cooked the barly in butter a lottle befor adding the stock, and i kept the stoch warm. I also added extra mushrooms, and used dried tyme, and skipped the bay leaf, as i didn'r have one. Well, I sort-of changed everything, except for the barly/stock part. Anyway, it was really good and I will refer to this recipe often, barly is a super whole grain!

This was decent. I was hoping the barley would make it something interesting or special but I was disappointed. I've made risotto multiple times with practically the same ingredients and recipe, just (arborio) rice instead of barley and cooking the mushrooms with the rice for most of the simmering time, and that turns out much better. Rice exudes a better flavor than the barley. So if you're considering taking the time to make a risotto, I'd suggest you do a real one: with rice, not barley!

I gave this recipes 4 stars because I doctored it a bit, partly based on previous reviews. I sauteed the onions in butter and olive oil and then added the dry barley and sauteed until the barley browned slightly, then added the mushrooms, thyme (about 1.5 tsp) and garlic. I omitted the bay leaf. I used 4 cups of nonfat, low sodium chicken broth, with one cup of water. Otherwise, I followed the recipe and it did come out surprishingly creamy, like risotto. Today while heating some of the leftover, I added a little milk and cheese and it was DELICIOUS. I'd recommend about 1/4 to 1/3 cup each romano, cheddar, and whole milk to the full recipe if you want to make it cheesey. The stronger the cheese the less you need to use to add a little kick. This is a keeper!

I really like this recipe. I found it to be very flavorful. The only changes I made were minimal and that was to not put in the bay leaf as I don't care for it. Otherwise a very good recipe.

I really like this recipe. I also add a little white wine to the barley before the chicken broth to give it a little extra flavor--more authentic to real risotto.

Love it! I might never make risotto with rice again! the barley gives it a wonderful nutty and chewy texture. I use creminis for the mushrooms. Instant family favorite!

This was good. I thought the barley was a little chewy, but I think I may have had too little broth by the time I got it all added in. I made it while I cooked the rest of my meal, so I wasn't just standing around cooking barley. I'll probably fix it again, but I'll play with it a bit to add flavor.

Good, family chowed this one down. Made with beef stock instead of chicken as we were having venison. I used a soup base (a good brand, mind you) instead of canned stock and the beef flavor did get a bit strong and kind of fake tasting, probably because of the amount of liquid cooking down. That being said, it was still good, hence the 4 stars. Definitely trying with real chicken stock next time. If you try this recipe, use canned or box stock.

Yummmm! I added onions, slat and pepper to taste. A little more butter too, but I love anything with butter. :-) Reminded me of a soup my dad used to make. Thanks!

This was yummy! I scaled it down to make for just 4 people. I stirred in a quarter cup of Parm cheese at the end, and i actually used 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme instead of dried. I salted/peppered to taste. Fabulous!

This was very nice, I left out the mushrooms and instead added steamed asparagus and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan to the risotto just prior to serving. I also added 1 cup dry white wine to the liquid measure in place of one cup of the stock. * Note* Make sure you use reduced sodium stock, this way you are better able to control the amount of salt in the dish. I will definitely be making this again in the near future!

Amazing! Didn't miss the cheese or cream at all! I gave it 4 stars simply because I like a little crunch so I added asparagus near the end. Everything else about it was amazing! Great recipe if you're cooking for someone who is lactose intolerant, just nix the butter. Will definitely do it again!

could use more broth so that the risotto cooks longer and gets larger

This was ok. My barley had a good consistency initially, but when combined with the mushrooms it somehow lost all of its creaminess. I have no idea what I did wrong--I followed the recipe exactly. The flavor was alright, but definitely not worth the time put in to prepare it.

Great texture. Needs more flavor, i.e. salt, garlic, herbs, etc.

I made a cross between this and the "Barley Bake" also on this site. It was good. It was at least 4 stars the way I made it, but since I didn't use mushrooms, and I think I undercooked the barley, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

This recipe was just what I was looking for to add barley (an excellent source of fiber) to my diet in something other than a soup. The small changes I made based on the other reviews were: -I used salt-free chicken stock and a vegetable bullion cube and it needed only a smidgen of salt at the end of the cooking time to finish it off. I can imagine that regular salt-added canned broth would make it way too salty. -Used fresh thyme, and a bit more than what was originally called for. -Added a generous dash of Cajun seasoning to kick up the flavor even more. -Thanks to Robin B. for the idea of adding some white wine. Just a splash really rounded out the dish and gave it more of a grown-up taste. Overall I think this will be a new regular in my menu planning, and it might even be the main course with some crusty bread and a small green salad. P.S. Regarding the complaint that this isn't a "real" risotto: quite true, but the end result is much creamier in texture than most barley recipes and it's healthier than the same dish made with rice.

very good...BUT, not five stars because anyone used to traditional risotto will definately need to add plenty of parmasan

This has a really nice flavor! I also cooked in some chopped celery. A great HEALTHY dish!

I like the chewy texture of barley compared to that rice, so I had high hopes for this recipe. I wasn't disappointed! I melted 3 TBsps. of butter then lightly brown the barley. Added the the onions and let those cook down. Meanwhile, I put the 4 1/2 cups of stock up to boil. Once the barley/onions were ready I added them to the hot broth. Seasoned with 1 tsp. of thyme, 1 bay leave, 2 pinches of salt, a few cracks of pepper from the mill and a pinch or so of nutmeg. I cooked the mushrooms in a little butter until soft, then added the garlic and cooked until fragrant. When the risotto was nearly done I added 1/2 cup of milk. When it was all done I tossed the mushrooms mixture into the risotto. Lovely texture and taste, BUT... It needs some kind of cheese. I know many are saying Parmesan, but I would opt for Romano and use a little more nutmeg next time. Served this with "Baked Lemon Chicken with Mushroom Sauce" from AR.

Used some of the suggestions (See Hannah's suggestion) and it turned out great! I'm really surprised at how healthy it is too! Will definitely make again!

This was pretty good...not sure if I'd exactly call it a risotto, but never the less, it was a good side dish. I made it exactly as written but cut it down to 3 servings. I did not need as much chicken broth, my barley was completly saturated with about a 1/2 cup left.

This was a very good and healthy side dish. I used vegetable stock and baby bella mushrooms. My husband tends to be a "meat and potato" guy, but he was very satisfied with this recipe and enjoyed it a lot. I will keep this in my repertoire. Thanks for the recipe!

A lot of time and effort for a just OK recipe.

Excellent recipe!...but I made some changes to make it a "one-pot clean up." I sauteed the onion, garlic and mushrooms in 1 tbsp. of olive oil. When it looked soft enough, I added the barley, miked it around a bit then added the stock. After the barley cooked and absorbed all the water, I added freshly chopped parsley and basil. Delicious!

Yummy!! I scaled the recipie down to three servings, and I think it may have caused a problem with too little broth to add to the barley mixture and the barley didn't become as tender as it could have been. However, I cannot complain... this was delicious!! :o)

great recipe! i was surprised at how the barley replicated the risotto texture!

Very good! Barley is soooo underrated and it is great for Diabetes and High Cholestrol (like my hubby). I added coins of chicken sausage for a one-pot meal. So hearty, and great for winter! If you want to add creaminess you can also add one can of cream of mushroom soup.

I thought this was wonderful! I will make it again and again. Such a nice change and great flavour!

This was easy and tasted great! A nice change from rice.

My husband, who procaims to hate barley, loved this recipe. So much so, that he asked if he could take the leftovers for his lunch the next day. I call that a winner.

I make this often, my son and I love it, my husband not so much though. It's really good as written, but to make it better, add a splash of white whine while it's cooking, and finish it off with some cream and parmesan cheese...super creamy and tasty! It does not NEED the wine, cream, or cheese, but it definitely adds to the flavour.

This recipe is a keeper. I have made it many times and have used regular rice in the place of the barley as well (just to switch it up). Great way to use up mushrooms. Delicious as a side dish or a main.

Great recipe!!! Came out perfect. Thanks for a healthy alternative.

mm mmm! Add some white wine and balsamic vinegar during the cooking process and this dish is wonderful!!

I absolutely love this recipe! It's easy to make and a much healthier alternative to rice risotto! Two thumbs way up!

Great recipe!! I don't usually like barley but I loved this dish. I did cook it longer : for approximatelly 2 hours to get a consistancy that I like .

This recipe is excellent and very easy to make. It's also a healthier alternative to rice risotto. Like many others, I sauteed the garlic and mushrooms and added them to the barley just before I began to add the broth. I served it with roasted chicken, and it was a perfect complement. I think it can be done with other veggies as well, maybe asparagas instead of mushrooms? Thanks for this great recipe!

very salty. Wasn't awful but not my favorite. Maybe low sodium broth would have been better. Oh well. thanks for this

Excellent, easy and tasty. We will definitely make this again

I'm replacing rice in my diet with barley and have been looking for recipes. I followed this recipe pretty much as directed and it was delicious! I'm going to take the same basic directions and try chicken and seafood versions.

Had no bay leaf or fresh parsley. Yes, will make it again. Was true to the recipe and time to prepare. Beware! It is a super, high fiber food

I had used shredded carrots instead of the mushrooms as usually mushrooms make a risotto style dish more watery. The carrots, however, made it too dry, so I guess next time I'll use mushrooms. I cut down on the broth because I wanted the barley not too soft. It needs more overall flavor though. I think I'll add more salt and pepper and perhaps a bit of lemon.

This dish was delicious. I like mushrooms, but in moderation, which is why I didn't give 5 stars. My husband, however, loves mushroms and raved about this dish.

I made risotto with barley instead of rice because of the glycemic index; it turned out good. I didn't change anything, I'll make it again.

Excellent dish...probably my favorite barley recipe so far. Great taste and very filling. I will be making this one often!!

Browned barley with butter and onions, as others have suggested. Used 1/2 chicken, 1/2 beef stock plus a splash of Riesling. After first cup of broth was absorbed, added all remaining broth, covered and turned heat to low, stirring every 10 minutes or so to prevent sticking. Took about 45 minutes for barley to completely cook. Then, to make it a main dish, added 1/2 lb cooked pork sausage (ground beef would work, too), small package frozen spinach + 1/4 cup cream and heated until warmed through. Adding parmesan cheese is optional, IMO. Good, hearty meal for a 25° Missouri night, with snow predicted.

I used this recipe as a base for my side dish. I only had quick cooking barley which ultimately changed the whole dish. I boiled 4 cups of chicken stock and and salt and added my barley to cook as per directions on the box. While the barley was cooking I sauted the onions and mushrooms in a little butter. Once the barley was finished cooking I added the onions and mushrooms to it. Much quicker version, but does not have the creamy texture I'm sure the risotto provides.