Barley risotto with mushrooms

An Italian vegetarian dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min

Organic sourcing

Mushrooms can absorb pesticides from soil—if available, opt for organic. Onions are low-residue, so organic is less critical.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pearl barley
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 400 g mixed mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 4 cups vegetable stock, ideally homemade
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp butter
• to taste sea salt
• to taste black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is translucent.
3. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until they are soft and lightly browned.
4. Add the barley to the pan, stirring for a minute to coat it in the oil.
5. Pour in the white wine, cooking until it is absorbed.
6. Add a ladleful of the hot vegetable stock, stirring frequently until absorbed.
7. Continue adding stock a ladleful at a time, letting each absorb before adding more.
8. Cook until the barley is tender and creamy, about 30 minutes.
9. Stir in the Parmesan and butter, seasoning with salt and pepper.
10. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley.

Notes

• Use a mix of mushrooms like cremini, shiitake, and button for depth.
• For a vegan version, omit the Parmesan and use nutritional yeast.
• Barley hold its shape well; leftovers reheat nicely.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Italian recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.