This vegetarian stuffing made with pearled barley, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans is delicious and makes a tasty side dish.
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Stuffing is one of my favorite side dishes during the holidays, but because they're usually made with some type of bread, they can be a little heavy.
This year I decided to experiment with a vegetarian version and came up with this Barley Stuffing with cranberries and pecans.
I don't cook with barley often, but I do love when used in Beef Barley Soup!
What is Barley?
Barley is a grain that can be used in bread, beverages, stew, soups and so much more. It has a ton of fiber and can help to reduce cholesterol, aids in digestion and can also reduce high blood pressure.
Since I'm one of the many that have high cholesterol, can't take statins and have exhausted other medications out there, I'm trying to do lower it naturally by eating healthier foods; like barley.
This Barley Stuffing was delicious with a chewy, nutty flavor and would go perfectly with so many recipes. The cranberries and pecans gave it an extra boost of flavor and I'll definitely be making this again.
Yield
This recipe makes eight ½ cup servings. You can serve this stuffing alone as a side dish or stuffed inside chicken or pork.
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients Needed
For this recipe you'll need the following ingredients:
- Pearl Barley
- Butter
- Celery
- Carrots
- Onion
- Fresh Sage
- Dried Cranberries: I use the ones with less sugar.
- Vegetable Broth
- Egg (beaten)
- Chopped Pecans
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
How do you make Barley Stuffing?
Start by adding water and barley to a small saucepan; then bring to a boil over high heat. Cook 20-25 minutes until most of the water has absorbed and the barley is chewy in texture.
Drain the barley in a sieve, run under cold water; then place in a mixing bowl. While the barley is cooking, melt the butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium high heat; then add the carrots, celery, onion and sage.
Saute for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften; then add the vegetables to the mixing bowl with the cooked barley. Next, add the dried cranberries, pecans, vegetable broth, beaten egg, salt and pepper to the bowl.
Mix well; then add to a 2-quart oven safe baking dish. Place the dish in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes until the liquid has absorbed and the barley is a golden brown.
Make Ahead
You can prepare the barley; then mix in the cooked vegetables, cranberries and pecans. Store in an airtight container up to 1 day before. When you're ready to bake, add the broth and egg and cook right before serving.
You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; though it may get a little dry the longer it sits. To loosen it up a bit, add some more broth before reheating.
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Vegetarian Barley Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup small dice celery
- ¼ cup small dice carrots
- ¼ cup small dice onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Start by adding water and barley to a small saucepan; then bring to a boil over high heat. Cook 20-25 minutes until most of the water has absorbed and the barley is chewy in texture.
- Drain the barley in a sieve, run under cold water; then place in a mixing bowl.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- While the barley is cooking, melt the butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium high heat; then add the carrots, celery, onion and sage.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften; then add the vegetables to the mixing bowl with the cooked barley.
- Next, add the dried cranberries, pecans, vegetable broth, beaten egg, salt and pepper to the bowl.
- Mix well; then add to a 2-quart oven safe baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the liquid has absorbed and the barley is a golden brown.
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