You will love how simple but delicious this creamy barley porridge recipe is. It’s a cozy alternative to oatmeal that you can whip up with only a handful of ingredients. Hearty, nourishing, and warm, this barley porridge is perfect on a cold winter day.
If you want a change from oatmeal for breakfast, try this creamy barley porridge. It has a mild, nutty flavor that pairs well with whatever toppings you like. While normally chewy, this recipe blends up the barley, so it’s a creamier texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You only need a handful of ingredients to make barley porridge. It’s also effortless to make.
- Barley porridge reheats wonderfully, so it’s perfect for a busy morning. Simply make a large batch on the weekend and enjoy it throughout the week.
- Barley is a nutritious way to start the day. Barley is rich in nutrients and you can add even more good-for-you ingredients as a topping such as fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, and more.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- pearl barley — also known as pearled barley, is barley that was processed to remove its fibrous outer hull and polished to remove some or all of the bran layer. Removing the hull and bran does cause the barley to lose some of its nutrition, but it’s still good for you, plus it cuts down on the cooking time. Pearl barley is also the most common type of barley found in grocery stores. You can even find pearl barley on Amazon.
- cinnamon — it adds a little bit of warm, cozy flavor to the porridge.
- salt — just a pinch.
- milk & water — this porridge uses a combination of milk and water. The milk adds flavor and creaminess. I recommend using whole milk for the best flavor and texture.
- vanilla extract — I always use real vanilla extract for my recipes.
- maple syrup — make sure you use real maple syrup and not pancake (table) syrup. They’re not the same, but at first glance, you might think they are!
How to Make Barley Porridge
- Add the pearl barley to a blender or food processor and blend until the consistency is similar to a course flour. You don’t want it to be too fine.
- Add the ground-up pearl barley, cinnamon, salt, water, milk, and vanilla extract to a small pot. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.
- Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes on low heat, stir often with a wooden spoon or spatula to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add extra water if needed to prevent sticking.
- Remove from the heat, add the maple syrup a bit at a time, and stir to combine until it has reached your desired sweetness. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the porridge to cool and thicken.
- Top with an assortment of berries, granola, etc. Add more maple syrup to the porridge if desired.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Avoid boiling the mixture, as you don’t want the milk to scorch.
- You can leave the barley more coarse or even cook it as is. When I make congee, I love it when the rice breaks down to create a creamy texture, which is why I like blending up the barley to create a similar texture.
Similar to oatmeal or overnight oats, you can top this barley porridge with whatever you want!
- Jam: I love the added sweetness of stirring some jam into the barley porridge.
- Fresh fruit: what’s not to love about some fruit? Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, mango, kiwi, and bananas make for a great topping.
- Dried fruit: a great alternative to fresh fruit is dried fruit! Try some chopped dates, dried apricots, raisins, and more.
- Granola, nuts, or seeds: granola, chopped nuts (like pecans or walnuts), or seeds (like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds) add a great crunch to your pudding. Try my homemade lemon poppyseed granola or berry granola! I also love adding hemp seeds since they’re quite good for you!
- Yogurt: add a dollop of Greek yogurt to boost the protein in this oatmeal.
- Chocolate: breakfast is better with chocolate, lol. Mini chocolate chips, chocolate curls, chopped chocolate, or cacao nibs are a delicious addition!
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: store the cooked barley porridge without any toppings in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge once it’s cooled to room temperature. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop. I like to add a splash of milk when reheating on the stovetop to loosen it up.
- Freezer: allow the porridge to cool before transferring it into an airtight container before storing it in the freezer.
Barley Porridge
You will love how simple but delicious this creamy barley porridge recipe is. It’s a cozy alternative to oatmeal that you can whip up with only a handful of ingredients. Hearty, nourishing, and warm, this barley porridge is perfect on a cold winter day.
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Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups water
- 2 cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the pearl barley to a blender or food processor and blend until the consistency is similar to a course flour. You don’t want it to be too fine.
- Add the ground-up pearl barley, cinnamon, salt, water, milk, and vanilla extract to a small pot. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.
- Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes on low heat, stir often with a wooden spoon or spatula to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add extra water if needed to prevent sticking.
- Remove from the heat, add the maple syrup a bit at a time, and stir to combine until it has reached your desired sweetness. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the porridge to cool and thicken.
- Top with an assortment of berries, granola, etc. Add more maple syrup to the porridge if desired.
Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 570mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 2mg
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