Any chewy grain, such as wheat berries, farro, or even brown rice, can replace the barley.
Recipe information
Yield
8 Servings
Ingredients
1
2
⅓
2
8
2
1
3
1
1
2
1½
Preparation
Step 1
Cook barley in a medium pot of boiling salted water until tender, 50–60 minutes for hulled or hull-less, 20–30 minutes for pearl. Drain; spread out on a baking sheet and let cool.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook shallots in vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling pan occasionally to keep shallots from burning, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper towels to drain; season with salt. Let cool. Set shallot cooking oil aside.
Step 3
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Arrange mushrooms in skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper, toss, and continue to cook, tossing often and reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer.
Step 4
Reduce heat to medium and add thyme sprigs, garlic, and butter to skillet. Tip skillet toward you so butter pools at edge and use a spoon to baste mushrooms with foaming butter; cook until butter smells nutty. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a small bowl, leaving thyme and garlic behind.
Step 5
Toss cooled barley, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, 1½ oz. Parmesan, and 2 Tbsp. reserved shallot oil in a large bowl to combine; season with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms; toss again to combine.
Step 6
Just before serving, top with fried shallots and more shaved Parmesan.
Step 7
Do Ahead: Barley can be cooked 1 day ahead. Let cool; store airtight and chill. Dish can be made 3 hours ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Nutrition Per Serving
How would you rate Herby Barley Salad With Butter-Basted Mushrooms?
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Reviews (43)
Back to TopIt’s being one of our favorite. Cooking the faro ahead helps. The mushrooms are great. We use one less table spoon of butter.
Anonymous
4/8/2022
Absolutely loved it. Like Kirstan from Cambridge, I used Farro instead of Barley and love the idea of adding a little kale next time. Also used baby bellas instead of wilder mushrooms because I prefer the texture and heft. Seared some Scottish Salmon in the buttery skillet with thyme and garlic that were left after removing the mushrooms. We'll be doing this again soon!
Rhonda M
Chicago, IL
12/13/2021
Had a huge container of cooked barley in the fridge and needed to do something with it - this was exactly the kind of recipe I was looking for! Very good topped with hot, buttery mushrooms fresh off the skillet, and also all cooled down and mixed up the next day at work. Looking forward to making this again in the summer when cold grain salads really hit the spot.
Faith
nashua NH
11/13/2021
Oh boy is this recipe incredible. I made it for the first time numerous years ago and have since then made it regularly. I stick with the exact recipe, reducing the oil slightly as that piece has a tendency to make it too heavy and overly greasy. My favorite mushrooms for it are simple criminis which give it a heavier, meatier bite, or chanterelles when they're in season. Don't skimp on the parmesan, that acidic bite really pulls the dish together.
The Injured Doctor
Portland, OR
2/12/2021
This was a delicious entree for the vegetarian folks. Some changes I'd make — - I added some sliced Tuscan kale to the thyme/butter mixture after the mushrooms. The salad really needed some more substance, as a few other reviewers have said, and the kale absorbed the mushroom thymey butter really wonderfully. Just tossed long enough for the kale to soften, then added to the rest of the mix. - get WAY MORE MUSHROOMS than you think you'll need. I found myself wishing I had purchased at least double the mushrooms. this might be cus i cooked too much barley so i felt like the mushrooms were getting lost, but just a recommendation to have extra on hand. - be careful with the shallots, i basically almost burned them. also, if you're not serving immediately, they might get a little soggy/uncrispy in the interim. threw them in a super-hot dry pan to quickly re-crisp.
jess
los angeles, ca
12/1/2020
I am serving someone that can’t have cilantro. What do you recommend as a substitute?
Anonymous
11/24/2020
Farro worked well in place of the barley. This dish is flavorful and has a nice meaty texture, but not sure if the final product is worth the time (and dishes). I would probably make this again, but would simplify by skipping the basting and just sauteeing the mushrooms with butter and chopped thyme and garlic. I also think some cubed roasted squash or massaged kale could help bulk it up as a main dish.
Kirstan B.
Cambridge, MA
11/11/2020