Barley Porridge - The Perfect Winter Breakfast | Recipe (2024)

We Nordics are infamously porridge people. We love it in the morning, and we love it as a warming evening meal. We also love porridge all year round, and in this sense, the milk-based barley porridge is a delicious winter breakfast for your porridge rotation.

Historically barley porridge is the age-old precursor forthe rice puddingwe now enjoy throughout Christmas. Rice was an expensive and fancy product back in the day, and only after the World Wars has it come to be a Christmas table staple.

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Barley Porridge - The Perfect Winter Breakfast | Recipe (1)

What barley to choose – hulled barley or pearl barley?

You can cook barley porridge multiple ways. I like to cook it milk-based to add more richness and creaminess. Most often I choose goat’s milk or whole milk and cook the porridge in a heavy-bottomed pot.

For the porridge, you can use hulled barley, pot barley, or pearl barley. Hulled barley is wholegrain and only the outer shell is removed from the grain. Pearl barley, on the other hand, is polished and the outer husk and bran layers have been removed. Pot barley is less processed in comparison to pearl barley but not as chewy as hulled barley.

Depending on my pantry situation, I alternate between pearl barley and pot barley. Pearl barley is winner in my household because it’s a more versatile product for porridges, risottos, and bread doughs. I even pre-soak the pearl barley for the porridge to give it a lovely, super-soft texture.

For example, you can useBob’s Red Mill Pearl Barley, 30 Oz*. It comes cheaper to buy in 4 packs, so if you have more ideas for barley, then, of course, gettingBob’s Red Mill Pearl Barley, 30-ounce (Pack of 4)*is a better choice.

Hulled barley-based porridge is equally delicious but has the firmest texture and takes about 15-20 minutes longer to cook. If going wholegrain is your choice, then slow cook with hulled barley.

Barley Porridge – The Perfect Winter Breakfast | Recipe

Barley Porridge - The Perfect Winter Breakfast | Recipe (2)

Barley Porridge - The Perfect Winter Breakfast | My Vintage Cooking

Print recipe

Makes/Serves: 3-4 Prep Time: Cooking time:

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS 200 ml / 0.85 cups barley of your choice 1 liter / 33.8 oz fatty milk of your choice 1 tsp salt Cold water to soak the grains

METHOD

  1. The night before, place the barley in a medium-sized dish and cover the grains with cold water. Cover and soak overnight.
  2. In the morning, bring the milk to boil and add the drained barley. Set to medium-low heat and let the porridge simmer covered for 40-60 minutes (depending on the choice of barley). Stir the porridge occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn.
  3. When the porridge is creamy and smooth, add salt to taste.
  4. Serve porridge with honey, butter, dried berries, nuts, and seeds of your choice.

NOTES

If using hulled or pot barley, make sure to soak the grains overnight. Use a heavy-bottomed pot to avoid burning the milk-based porridge. Pearl barley porridge is cooked in 40 minutes, hulled barley and pot barley-based porridges take longer 50-60 minutes.

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Barley and History

Barley is one of the oldest cultivated grains (9000-10 000 BCE). Interestingly, despite barley’s ancient roots in the Middle East, it was modest enough grain to settle here in the North. Yet, it is not the most popular grain anymore, barley has a firm foot in the Nordic culinary heritage.

Often I feel barley is a forgotten grain that doesn’t get enough credit for its excellent qualities. Barley has a neutral and nutty flavor, a low glycemic index, and a good amount of fiber. It’s a wonderful base for porridge and amazing addition to bread doughs.

When comes to porridge, barley excels with its chewy texture. I like to garnish my barley porridge plate with nuts, seeds and dried berries to accentuate the meal’s texture even more. This truly is a nutritious start for the day on winter mornings.

When it comes to choosing the type of barley, you just have to experiment what kind of chewy texture you like best.

If you want to learn more ways to enjoy barley, why not try making rieska – barley flatbread from Lapland. It’s my heirloom recipe and I love to bake this flatbread especially during winter season.

Love, Saara

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Barley Porridge - The Perfect Winter Breakfast | Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is barley porridge good for breakfast? ›

Whole-grain barley is a good source of fiber, including the soluble fiber beta-glucan, which slows the absorption of sugar by binding with it in your digestive tract ( 7 ). In one study in 10 overweight women who ate barley or oats plus glucose, both oats and barley decreased blood sugar and insulin levels.

Which is healthier oats or barley? ›

In fact, barley contains about three times as much fiber per serving as oats. Barley is particularly rich in a type of soluble fiber known as beta glucan, which is recognized for its cholesterol-lowering abilities. Barley is also a good or excellent source of several vitamins and minerals.

Is barley a good breakfast cereal? ›

What has twice the protein and almost half the calories as oats? Barley, and it's about time we started eating it for breakfast. Not only does barley have a wonderfully nutty flavor and a chewy, hearty texture, but it's also a nutritious, high-fiber grain that boasts an array of health benefits.

How to eat barley porridge for weight loss? ›

Fry them lightly on medium flame, then add roasted barley porridge and fry for half a minute, mixing it well. After frying, cut 1 tomato into small pieces by removing its seeds, add it and mix it well. Mix it by adding 1.5 cups of water and ½ tsp of salt, then close the cooker and cook on high flame till one whistle.

Can I eat barley porridge everyday? ›

Eating 3.6 grams of barley daily as a source of dietary fiber seems to reduce the risk of heart disease. High cholesterol. Eating 3-12 grams of barley daily seems to reduce total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol in adults with high cholesterol.

Is it OK to eat porridge every morning? ›

Want to keep your heart healthy? Eat oatmeal. Research shows that a daily bowl of oatmeal can lower your levels of total cholesterol and artery-clogging bad cholesterol. (High cholesterol levels can be a contributing factor to heart disease.)

Which is healthier quinoa or barley? ›

Nutritional Value

Barley is a good source of iron, niacin, and vitamin B6, and supplies an adequate source of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. It also easily wins out in fiber content, providing both soluble and insoluble fiber, with one serving providing 8 grams, compared to quinoa's 3.

What type of barley is healthiest? ›

Hulled barley.

Whole-grain barley undergoes minimal processing, removing the inedible hull and leaving the germ and bran intact. It's the chewiest and healthiest variety but takes longer to cook.

Is barley better than oatmeal for breakfast? ›

Depending on what you're looking for in your diet, they certainly stack up differently, but in most cases, barley beats oatmeal to the nutrition punch. Besides helping make you feel full, fiber keeps you regular and helps maintain the health of your GI (gastrointestinal) tract.

What to avoid when taking barley? ›

Barley contains a large amount of fiber. Fiber can decrease how much medicine the body absorbs. Taking barley along with medicine you take by mouth can decrease the effectiveness of your medication. To prevent this interaction take barley at least 1 hour after medications you take by mouth.

Is barley a winter cereal? ›

The winter cereals investigated were: wheat (Triticum vulgare), oats (Avena sativa), triticale (Triticale hexaploide) and barley (Hordeum vulgare).

What is the healthiest breakfast cereal in the world? ›

This article will cover the 14 healthiest cereals you can eat.
  • Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Cereals. ...
  • Nature's Path Organics Superfood Cereals. ...
  • Barbara's Shredded Wheat Cereal. ...
  • Arrowhead Mills Spelt Flakes. ...
  • Cauliflower “oatmeal” ...
  • DIY peanut butter puffs cereal. ...
  • Love Grown Original Power O's. ...
  • DIY flax chia cereal.

Does barley reduce belly fat? ›

Barley water is an excellent addition to any diet if you want to lose weight. It can potentially reduce belly fat over time. In addition, its satiating properties help control hunger and cravings by making you feel fuller for longer. As a result, it leads to fewer calorie consumption and gradual weight loss.

What is the difference between wheat porridge and barley porridge? ›

Barley provides more health benefits than wheat, and is an excellent alternative to white wheat. This is because it contains more fiber than wheat. It also undergoes less processing, meaning it loses fewer nutrients. It's also rich in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

Can we eat barley and oats together? ›

You can make many delicious recipes by adding oats and barley and can eat at any time of the day. Here we have provides some easy-to-make mouth-watering recipes that you must try in your breakfast. Ingredients: 1 cup brown/white rice.

What is the best porridge to eat in the morning? ›

Start the day right with this healthy baked banana porridge containing walnuts, banana and cinnamon. Bananas are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, which the body needs to make the feel- good hormone serotonin. When eaten with a carb source such as oats, the brain can absorb the tryptophan easily.

Which is better wheat porridge or barley porridge? ›

Barley provides more health benefits than wheat, and is an excellent alternative to white wheat. This is because it contains more fiber than wheat. It also undergoes less processing, meaning it loses fewer nutrients. It's also rich in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

What's the difference between barley porridge and oatmeal? ›

One of the main differences between the two grains is their taste and texture. Oats have a nutty flavor and a chewy texture, while barley has a more neutral flavor and a chewy texture that is slightly firmer than that oats. Another difference is their culinary applications.

Is it OK to drink barley on an empty stomach? ›

It is recommended to start with a small amount of barley grass and gradually increase the dosage over time. The daily recommended intake of barley grass is 2-3 teaspoons mixed with water or juice. It is best consumed on an empty stomach, either first thing in the morning or before meals.

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