Sesame Barley Salad with Mushrooms and Green Beans

Sesame Barley Salad with Mushrooms and Green Beans by Alison's AllspiceI first started making this sesame barley salad with mushrooms and green beans years ago.  I haven’t made it in a long time because the original recipe was so time consuming.  Well, I worked on that and now have a recipe worth sharing!

One of the steps from the orignal recipe that I did not omit was toasting the barley in sesame oil.  It adds a nutty flavor that really makes this dish special.

Sesame Barley Salad with Mushrooms and Green Beans by Alison's Allspice Sesame Barley Salad with Mushrooms and Green Beans by Alison's Allspice Sesame Barley Salad with Mushrooms and Green Beans by Alison's AllspiceThe dressing compliments the sesame barley as well, containing sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic.  I also added some sriracha, becaues I love everything spicy, but it could easily be omited.

Grateing the garlic and ginger is a technique that I use to impart flavor, but not texture.  The garlic and ginger really get infused into the sauce, and you won’t notice pieces of them in the salad.

The game plan for Sesame Barley Sald with Mushrooms and Green Beans:

  1. Toast the barley: they should start to turn visibly dark brown.
  2. Add water, bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes.  You can do most of the prep work during this time.
  3. Meanwhile, make the dressing.
  4. Slice and saute mushrooms in a skillet.
  5. Trim and steam the green beans. I like to do this in the microwave instead of putting another pot on the stovetop.
  6. Assemble by mixing everything together.  I do this in the large pot I boiled the barley in to avoid another dirty dish.

Sesame Barley Salad with Mushrooms and Green Beans
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4-8 servings
Ingredients
Sesame Barley
  • 1 cup pearled barley
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4-5 cups water
Dressing
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 TBS reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 TBS each: honey (or maple syrup for vegan) and sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sriracha (optional)
  • 2 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
Veggies
  • 8 oz package portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 cups chopped green beans (1-1.5 inches long)
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, add sesame oil and barley. Toss to coat and let toast for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The barley should turn brown in spots.
  2. Add the salt and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Drain and rinse the barley to remove any starches so that the grains will not stick together.
  3. Meanwhile, mix together rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, sriracha (if using), ginger, and garlic. Set aside
  4. Saute mushrooms in a skillet over medium low heat until their liquid evaporates. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt.
  5. Steam green beans until bright green and tender-crisp. I like to use the microwave for 2-3 minutes, but you could also blanch them in boiling water for 4 minutes, or saute them in a skillet with ¼ up water.
  6. Mix together barley, mushrooms, and green beans. Pour dressing over top and toss to coat.
Notes
This salad can be served room temperature or cold. It can be preped in advance as the flavors will develop as it sits. It will make 4 servings as a main dish, or 8-10 as a side dish.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.

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