Cooking barley in the instant pot is hands free and the barley comes out cooked right each and every time. Use cooked barley in soups, salads and other dishes.
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Pressurize and Depressurize Instant Pot 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 4people
Calories 163kcal
Ingredients
1cuppearl barley
2 ½cupswater
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
Add water and barley to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place and check that the pressure valve is closed.
1 cup pearl barley, 2 ½ cups water
Set high pressure cook for 20 minutes.
When the pressure cook time ends, allow the Instant Pot to release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Then carefully open the pressure valve to allow the rest of the pressure and steam to release.
Remove the lid and stir up the barley.
Stove Top Instructions
Place 1 cup pearled barley and 3 cups water in a medium sauce pan.
Cover with a lid. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes or until barley is tender.
Stir occasionally and add more water if needed.
Notes
Barley grains vary by brand: This means they may also vary in the amount of water they need. If you end up with too much water when cooking Instant Pot barley, simply drain it off after it’s cooked and continue using it in your recipes.
Cooked barley texture: This recipe for Instant Pot barley yields a soft, plump, and slightly chewy grain of barley. For a firmer texture, reduce the amount of water by ½ cup and use the quick-release method instead of the 10-minute natural release.
Old barley grains: Fresh is always best! But if you’re using older barley grains, know that they may require a slightly longer cooking time. If your barley isn’t tender enough, make sure there’s still some liquid in the Instant Pot, then replace the cover, close the pressure valve, and set it to cook again for 5-10 minutes on high pressure.
Adding barley to soups and stews: Turn any soup into vegetable barley soup. For best results add it to the soup pot just before serving so it doesn’t overcook. If you plan to cook the barley in the soup, be sure there is plenty of liquid as the barley tends to make soups and stews thicken quite a bit.