Barley Stew Recipe with Caramelized Onions, White Beans & Spinach

I’ll admit that I get a high out of creating a vegetarian stew recipe for Meatless Monday that is filling, low in calories, packs a punch of protein (beans) and fiber (barley and spinach) and, most importantly, my family enjoys (thank you, caramelized onions).

My poor husband had to listen patiently as I rattled off the nutritional data (see the bottom of the recipe). However, truth be told, he’s even better at keeping track of his protein, fiber and healthy fat intake than I am as he prepares for his next marathon (Boston, baby!) As a result we eat a lot (and I mean “a lot”) of whole grains, lean protein, vegetables and fruits, and try to keep the siren calls of the sugared treats to a dull roar.

If you are really determined to take advantage of barley’s nutritional benefits, look for hulled barley, usually found in health food stores. In this form, only the outer layer of the barley layer is removed, leaving the nutritious bran layer intact. The downside is that the barley will take longer to cook. Pearl barley, which is more widely available, takes less time to cook than the hulled barley. The payoff, however, is that both the outer and bran layers are removed to leave the inner pearl exposed. That being said, pearl barley still boasts some nutritional benefits, weighing in with 6 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein per cup of cooked barley.

I recently spotted quick cooking barley on the shelf at my local supermarket, but have never tried it. If you have any experience cooking with it, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the taste and texture.

The recipe:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 15 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup water, cover the pan and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Add the balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook for additional 30 seconds.

Add the diced tomatoes and their juices and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add the pearl barley and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the barley is almost tender, about 40 minutes.

Stir in the cannellini beans, cover and cook for additional 10 minutes, or until the barley is tender.

Stir in the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. If the stew is too thick, add some vegetable broth to thin it. Serve.

Other whole grain stews or soups:

Cookin’ Canuck’s Lean Bison & Barley Soup with Green Peas
Cookin’ Canuck’s Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa
La Fujimama’s Toshikoshi Soba (Soba Noodle Soup)
Skinnytaste’s Beef, Potato & Quinoa Soup
fANNEtastic Food’s Turkey, Veggie & Barley Chili

Tagged as: barley, bean, Beans, caramelized, diet, healthy, legumes, onion, recipe, soup, spinach, stew, vegan, vegetarian, Weight Watchers