herby barley salad with buttery mushrooms

Looking for a flavorful vegetarian dish? This delicious Herby Barley Salad with Buttery Mushrooms is loaded with texture and umami.

And the best news is that it’s totally customizable. Follow along with me for some mouth-watering possibilities.

Let’s start at the beginning with the barley…

• Hulled, hull-less or pearl barley – I always use organic Italian pearl barley. It cooks faster and my gluten-sensitive family can eat it with no issues.
• Salted water

Let’s customize right at the start…

• Instead of barley, you can use any chewy grain, such as wheat berries, farro, or even brown rice.
• For an intense flavor boost, make this salad using our Toasted Orzo as the base. The raw orzo is pan-fried in butter until lightly browned, then simmered in a combination of broth and wine.

• Cook the barley in a medium pot of boiling salted water until tender.
• About 50 to 60 minutes for hulled or hull-less, 20 to 30 minutes for pearl barley.
• Drain, then spread out on a baking sheet and let cool.

Everything you’ll need to make your Herby Barley Salad with Buttery Mushrooms…

• Cooked barley
• Shallots – Peeled & sliced into thin rings.Shallots are often used to brighten dishes & vinaigrettes because of their mild, sweet flavor that’s often described as a mix of onion and garlic.
• Neutral oil – Avocado oil or refined coconut oil would be good options. Even though it’s not really neutral, I’ve used olive oil here with good results. It’s advisable to avoid seed oils since they can be toxic when heated
• Olive oil – My first choice is always single source EVOO from Italy. Less processing = healthier more delicious olive oil.
• Assorted wild mushrooms – Such as maitake, chanterelle and/or oyster, torn or cut into large pieces.
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh thyme sprigs – Fresh thyme has a distinctive, earthy, and slightly peppery flavor with hints of sweetness and a subtle, floral aroma.
• Garlic clove – Peeled & crushed.
• Unsalted butter – It is important to use unsalted butter so that the natural butter flavor shines through without the influence of added salt. And you can better control the level of sodium in the final dish.
• Fresh cilantro – Roughly chopped. Fresh cilantro tastes pungent, bright, lemony, and a little peppery. Some folks dislike it but keep in mind that the flavor is much diminished when the leaves are warmed. If need be, replace with extra fresh chopped parsley or some roughly chopped baby arugula.
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley – Roughly chopped. The tender fresh herb is always preferred over the dried variety. Fresh parsley has a clean peppery taste with a touch of earthiness. Adds a brightness to the final dish. Save some to sprinkle over each bowl when serving.
• Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed is always best.
• Freshly shaved parmesan cheese – Whenever possible, I shave my own from a block of aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

• Cook the sliced shallots in the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Swirl the pan occasionally to keep the shallots from burning, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Best not to walk away from the pan ..the shallots can quickly become overly browned.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried shallots to paper towels to drain; season with salt.
• Let cool.
• Reserve the shallot cooking oil and set it aside.
  

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke.
• Arrange the mushrooms in the skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until undersides are golden brown, for about 3 minutes.
• Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
• Continue to cook, tossing often and reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer.
  
• Reduce the 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 the butter smells nutty.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sautéed mushrooms to a small bowl, leaving the thyme and garlic behind.
  

The wild mushrooms that are used in this salad are definitely more expensive. And maybe a bit more difficult to find.

But folks …they are so full of texture and flavor that they literally define this dish.

Although I would definitely recommend bumping up the total amount of mushrooms by adding some sliced portabellas to the mix. 

• Toss the cooled barley, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, 1½ ounce of Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved shallot oil in a large bowl to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the mushrooms.
• Toss again to combine.

Your Herby Barley Salad with Buttery Mushrooms is almost ready to enjoy.

But it’s not quite there yet.

Just before serving, top it off with the crispy fried shallots and more shaved Parmesan.

More ways to customize this dish…

• Don’t like the taste of cilantro? Replace it with some roughly chopped baby arugula.
• After removing the mushrooms, sear some salmon or shrimp in the buttery skillet along with the garlic and thyme. Add to the finished salad along with the crispy shallots.
• Sear chopped chard or spinach leaves in the buttery skillet – toss them with the salad.

Make Ahead Tips –

• The barley can be cooked a day ahead. After it has cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge.
  
• The bulk of the salad can be assembled up to three hours ahead – cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature.
• Don’t top it off with the fried shallots and additional shaved Parmesan until right before serving.
  

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