Barley Risotto with Shrimp and Peas
I know I’ve been pretty vocal about my love for barley around here. I love that it’s local, high in fibre, dense and nutty and chewy, and great for simmering with dry lentils for a hefty salad. I love that you can buy it in flour form to make pancakes and chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cake.
And I love that so many farmers grow it around here. So when Alberta Barley asked if I would help spread the news of their very first cookbook, Go Barley: Modern Recipes for an Ancient Grain, I was more than happy to. It comes out next month, but I have an advance copy to give away – remember when we did Free Stuff Fridays? I miss that. So even though it’s Tuesday, let’s get back on that horse. Some of you know the drill – leave a comment below, and I’ll try to remember to make a (random!) draw at the end of the week.
(Two great Canadian food bloggers, Amy of Family Feedbag and Renee Lavalee of Feisty Chef are playing along too – Amy already posted a fab Mushroom Barley Soup, and I think Renee is posting something barley-ish this week.)
This barley risotto is far more nutrient-dense (and fibre-rich) than that made with the traditional short-grain rice, and as a happy bonus, it requires only one bout of vigorous stirring, halfway through the cooking time. No need to stand by the stove, afraid to stray from the pot. Shrimp and peas and a good squeeze of lemon make a perfectly springy risotto – we can pretend, can’t we?
Barley Risotto with Shrimp and Peas
AuthorJulie
Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat; add the onion, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper, and saute until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in barley and stock and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat; cover pan and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring vigorously halfway through for 15 seconds. Stir in shrimp and peas; cover pan and simmer until shrimp are pink and peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley or mint and serve.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat; add the onion, garlic, lemon zest, and pepper, and saute until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in barley and stock and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat; cover pan and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring vigorously halfway through for 15 seconds. Stir in shrimp and peas; cover pan and simmer until shrimp are pink and peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley or mint and serve.
I love Barley – may be one of my favourite grains.
Thank you for the lovely recipe. I’ve always loved barley/Risotto but shy away from the constant stirring. Now this is a refreshing recipe 😉
This looks awesome! I will have to attempt 🙂
I love barley, new cookbooks and free stuff too!. I’ve never made risotto – might give this one a whirl. Thanks Julie!
I love barely, just need to know how to cook it more. Looking forward to the recipe book coming out, and love that its Alberta born:)
I love barley and especially quick cook barley for midweek meals….and it’s local.
I would love some more barley recipes!
I love your blog – and use your recipes! I remember my grandma using lots of barley in her soups – so thick that your spoon would stand up!
I love barley. I have fond memories of childhood lunches with my grandparents and my Nan’s beef & barley soup.
Love the idea of using barley in a risotto! I need to try this. It deserves to be used in more dishes than just soups!
Can’t wait to try this. I’ll have to make a shrimp substitution, but it looks awesome. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I love barley too! A barley cookbook would be awesome. And dietitianly. Still have to try those barley cookies (!!!)
Now here is a risotto that looks simple enough for me! Many thanks Julie.
I ???? barley.
That string of question marks in the comment above was supposed to be a heart. Weird.
I made a pork stew with barley last night, and we’ll have it again tonight. I use the original barley, not the pearled kind, so there is more roughage (fibre) in the stew. It’s yummy, with onions, carrots, tomatoes, parsley, and finished with red chard. It tastes completely different between the first night and the second night. I love it 😀
I can’t wait for your cook book 🙂
I think I’ve discovered that everyone likes barley! I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t – must be the texture? My latest favourite is barley jambalaya – makes great leftovers, it never gets mushy.
Making this for supper tonight! Love barley!
I’d love a barley cookbook!
That Barley Risotto looks awesome. I may just have to pull the barley out of my cupboard this week.
I’ve been meaning to start using more barley at home, and I love cookbooks. This looks like a great place to start!
Do you have to rinse barley thoroughly prior to using as one does with lentils, for instance? Thanks Julie.
I have shrimp defrosting in the fridge right now! I wonder if I have any barley left….
I love barley too. Have always been a bit afraid of risotto, but this looks like one I could try. 😉
Thanks!
As a newly converted to the low glycemic index diabetic, barley is my new best friend. Can not wait to try this recipe.
Note to self, add shrimp to grocery list for later…
Thanks
This looks delicious! Love that you can let it cook on its own – while you do the other 100 things waiting to be done….
I was just thinking of how I could expand my 16 month old’s repertoire in the grain department. tThis will be perfect…and he will love it because he loves anything that is round and resembles a ball! Peas, blueberries…now barley…all called ‘baaallll’
thanks for the idea!
Sounds like a great book and .I like that its Alberta based. Barley has been a staple in our home, but this recipe will expand our recipe collection. A taste of spring is really needed !
I love barley, the texture and flavour would love to learn what else I could do with it.
I posted on the barley and mushroom soup page that I had tried and loved a barley risotto in a restaurant recently, so I’m thrilled to see this post. Alas, though, my husband is allergic to shrimp, so I’ll have to figure out a substitute.
I make a fantastic barley risotto in the oven…the creaminess comes from cheese you stir in at the end. Oh so good and luscious. This recipe looks like spring…too bad my daughter won’t eat shrimp…too bad for her when I make it!
This recipe looks great. My 3 year old loves barley so I’ll be making this. Thanks!
Love barley, will have to try the risotto
I thought barley was only a soup thickener… Perhaps it’s time I got more creative 🙂
Michael Smith also has a great barley risotto recipe in his Chef at Home cookbook. The kids are learning about plants and agriculture in school right now – they think most of their friends haven’t tried barley so they were going to tell them how good it is.
I have your book “Spilling the Beans”. It’s my favourite cookbook, and I keep meaning to try out the recipes with barley in them. It’s still a new grain to me!!
I made butternut squash and barley risotto at work today, but did not realize it didn’t require constant stirring. I can’t believe I wasted 45 minutes in front of the stove! Thanks for the tip!
Looks like a great recipe.
p.s. I have 3 kinds of cookies on my counter – all from your website/books. (And all delicious!)
Can’t wait to make this!! Yummy!!
brilliant!!
Love a starch with a bit of a chew!
Looks soooo yummy! I love risotto, and I have some barley in the pantry and shrimp in the freezer! I may have to try this soon!:)
Looks good – I only ever put barley as a must have in my soup, but would love to cook more with it – need some inspiration!
Yum! The perfect warm, cozy dinner to have this weekend while hibernating inside from the cold – again! Dreaming of spring…
Love using Barley in soups, but would use it way more often with new recipes. I
… and why have I never thought of making this before? I guess that’s why I keep reading your blog. A version of this without shrimp (the husband is allergic) but with mushroom and some meant will be made this week… I can guarantee it!
This looks delicious. I’ve been using Barley flour for years as a way to up the nutrition of baked goods. Will have to try barley soon.
Sounds like dinner tonight. Yummy
This looks great! I love barley risottos and how they have slightly different texture from the original rice ones, and adding shrimp just seems like the perfect element 😀 Might just have to get my paws on this 🙂 x
I’d love to try a barlotto!
I love barley! Can’t wait to get my hands on the cookbook.
So great to see more uses of barley than my standby of beef and barley soup.
This risotto sounds delicious! I’m a real souper in the fall and winter months – makes a great lunch either to take along or have quickly at home – and I often add a handful of barley to the pot. Yum. I put some in a pot of chili a couple of weeks ago, too. It was a very nice addition. (Was that one of your recipe ideas, Julie?)
Looks great. I am going to make your beef and barley chili from the CBC site that you posted a few weeks ago tomorrow night and can’t wait to try this too.
First time for everything gonna give this a try.
Looks amazing. I would love to try experimenting with Barley. So far all I’ve ever tried is tossing it in broth-based soups…so I need to branch out.
love barley and would love to win something!
Hi Pamela,
Regarding rinsing barley, there is no need to do this as the only thing that might be on the barley is a bit of the residual “flour” from the pearling process.
Thanks for reading everyone.
– Linda and Pat
PS – Go Barley!
At present we are working our way through a batch of Sausage, Lentil and Barley Soup. Barley is so versatile.
No constant stirring…wow!
Love barley!
I love risotto! But my husband doesn’t (its the soggy texture)… maybe this is the ticket? I’m going to try it! Thank you!
I thought I hated barley but every post here loves it! I’ve only ever tasted it in store bought canned soups. It was rather slimy. Perhaps I should give it another try……
Looks yummy! Barley risotto meets both my husband’s need for a risotto, and mine for eating something with some fiber!
I love barley! I’ll whip up a batch on sunday, throw in some (rinsed) canned beans or chickpeas, and stir in some salad dressing and I have lunches for the week!
Baking with barley, hmmm must try
I can’t eat quinoa, so I use barley as a substitute. I like that it’s local too!
I’m excited to try this recipe as I also love barley 🙂
Looks delicious! Yay for free stuff Fri-er…Tuesday! 🙂
This post takes me back to Scotch Broth soup at the old Highland hotel on 16 ave. Afterwards we would walk the halls looking at all the different Tartens, picking our favorite.
My dad grew a lot of barley during my growing up years on the family farm; barley = good eating, good memories!
I love beef/barley soup! Would love some new ideas for cooking with barley 🙂
I use barley for turkey barley chili. but now I think it will have another use!
I substituted barley for the rice in my cabbage rolls recently and wow, what a difference! So delicious..I always use pot barley for more fiber.
I’ve been trying to convince hubby that barley isn’t just for soup. With limited success as a lot of recipes I find are vegetarian and he’s a confirmed carnivore. We both love risotto and I’d never thought of barley there! I have a lonely bit of chorizo in the fridge…..
love barley, although i don’t eat it often enough.
I think I could get the family to try this! If not, I am sure I could take it down.
I was a quick quinoa convert (mmm…alliteration is almost as tasty as quinoa), I’ll bet I will be besotted with barley as well…
DH & DD both ate this happily, so it’s definitely going into the rotation.
I love barley, I hope there’s a risotto recipe in there!
I’ve just learned to make risotto in my pressure cooker, because I live at 8500 ft. elevation. Must try it with barley!