Zoe Bingley-Pullin’s easy mushroom and pearl barley risotto

This week in the Get Nourished kitchen, nutritionist Zoe Bingley-Pullin dishes up an effortless mushroom and pearl barley risotto.

If the idea of standing at the stove stirring risotto for what feels like ages doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, this is the recipe for you.

Traditional risotto can be a labour of love, requiring constant attention.

But with Zoe Bingley-Pullin’s innovative approach, you can enjoy the rich, creamy texture of risotto without the effort.

By using pre-soaked pearled barley instead of traditional Arborio rice, it significantly reduces cooking time, making it a game-changer for busy weeknights.

Plus, the pearl barley adds a deliciously nutty flavour and chewy texture to the dish.

Zoe Bingley-Pullin’s easy mushroom and pearl barley risotto

Serves: 3-4 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups pearl barley
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 leek, washed, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup carrot, skin on
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 1½ litres of chicken or vegetable stock, miso soup or bone broth (add more if needed)
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• 4 tbsp, extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Method

Step 1.

Soak pearl barley in water for 1 hour then drain.

Step 2.

Set a deep saucepan over medium-high heat and add extra virgin olive oil.

Once oil is hot, sauté onion, leek and garlic for 5-10 mins or until cooked and translucent.

Add the carrot, celery and mushrooms and sauté until soft, approx. 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add stock to a separate pot and bring to a soft boil.

Step 3.

On medium heat, add the drained barley and stir through.

Add 3-4 ladles of hot stock and simmer until barley is tender.

Once absorbed, add more stock as required until barley is soft, approx15 mins.

Step 4.

When cooked stir through nutritional yeast and parsley and season to taste.

This can be served with any protein and a salad.

More easy recipes from the Get Nourished kitchen:

• BBQ cumin chicken wraps with tomato and corn salsa recipe
• Lemony lamb backstrap with finger lime salsa
• Easy low-carb mushroom empanadas
• Spicy capsicum, tomato and quinoa soup with harissa
• Yoghurt-marinated chicken with warm beetroot and quinoa salad
• Smoked salmon pasta with pea and broccoli pesto recipe