| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Inactive: | 1 hr |
| Cook: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1 tablespoon minced leaves
- 3 stems fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1/3 cup chopped leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 lemons, zest peeled in large strips
- 10 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking the asparagus
- 1/2 medium shallot, minced
- 2 bunches medium asparagus, woody stems trimmed (about 2 pounds)
Instructions
- Put the barley in a medium pot with water to cover by a few inches and salt it generously. Tie the thyme sprigs, parsley stems, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot, along with the lemon peel. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and remove the herbs and lemon.
- Meanwhile, toss the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl. Whisk the remaining lemon juice with the mustard, remaining salt, and pepper, to taste, in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make a smooth, slightly thick vinaigrette. Add the shallots.
- Toss the mushrooms, barley, and the dressing together. Stir in the chopped herbs. Set aside at room temperature for about 1 hour for the flavors to come together.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the spears in a single layer in a shallow baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roll to coat thoroughly. Roast the asparagus until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes, giving the pan a good shake about halfway through.
- Spread the roasted asparagus on a serving platter. Spoon the barley salad on top and serve.
- Per Serving: Calories: 258; Total Fat: 14 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 7 grams; Total carbohydrates: 29 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber: 8 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 689 milligrams
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 258 calorie |
| Total Fat | 14 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 2 grams |
| Cholesterol | 0 milligrams |
| Sodium | 689 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 29 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 grams |
| Protein | 7 grams |
| Sugar | 4 grams |
Reviews
Delicious!!! Absolutely worth it- the only thing I will change next time is coming down the mushrooms before adding as I’m not a huge fan of raw mushrooms.
Would recommend cutting the salt by half. 1/2 tsp for the barley and 1/2 tsp for the dressing. Increased the barley to 1 cup. Grilled 1 bunch of asparagus chopped the spears in third’s and tossed them with the other ingredients. Delicious combination with flavor of the fresh thyme and lemon coming through.
I made this recipe for Easter Sunday and it was AMAZING! My family loved the barley salad, and I loved the contrast between that and the asparagus. This was very easy to put together, and I would definitely recommend this to everyone!
Made it with roasted broccoli instead of asparagus because the price was right. Yum. I was wary of the dressing on it’s own, but everything mixed together tasted great.
Delicious. Only changes I made was to saute mushrooms before for mixing them with lemon juice. I used baby bellas instead of white buttons. I also added a touch of garlic and onion powder. I will make this again and again.
This was outstanding. I made it with brown rice instead of barley and it was wonderful. My parents are trying a vegetarian diet. I tried this recipe first and can’t wait to make it for them. Thanks.
This salad as is was just wonderful. Love the lemony flavor, and heartiness of the barley. Last time I made it for a family reunion, I added chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, and topped it with toasted slivered almonds for a different feel, and it was even better! Not a spoonful was left! A keeper!
This was really good, lots of flavor and a hearty side dish. I’ll definetely be making it through the summer. I roasted the asparagus, cut them and stirred them into the salad so I could just serve it all in a big bowl.
I love how complex, bright, and hearty this dish is. It’s so lemony but it’s really balanced out so well. The textures work wonderfully together, too. I cut up the asparagus and mixed it all in, and I loved it. Making it for Easter dinner!
we tried this last Christmas and were blown away. If you want to try a new side dish, you should give this one a go!