Swap the rice in a classic risotto for barley and you keep all the creamy, slow-stirred comfort while picking up a serious fiber upgrade. Barley is one of the best food sources of beta-glucan, a fiber your gut bacteria thrive on, and mushrooms bring their own prebiotic compounds to the pot.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pearl barley
- 3 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 cups warm vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pot and saute onion, garlic, and mushrooms until softened, about 6 minutes.
- Add barley and stir 1 minute.
- Add warm broth gradually, stirring frequently, about 35-40 minutes total until barley is tender.
- Stir in parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Calories | 380 |
| Total fat | 13g |
| Total carbohydrates | 55g |
| Dietary fiber | 10g |
| Protein | 13g |
| Sodium | 560mg |
Why This Is Good for Your Gut
Barley is one of the richest dietary sources of beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that gut bacteria ferment into butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that fuels colon cells and supports gut barrier integrity. Mushrooms add beta-glucans and chitin, prebiotic compounds that support beneficial bacterial diversity, and onion and garlic layer in inulin on top.
Forty minutes of stirring, but your gut microbiome eats better than you did in college. Love mushrooms? Try our Mushroom and Lentil Bolognese or the herb-forward Barley and Roasted Mushroom Risotto.
This recipe is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
