How to cook Instant Pot Barley. Developed based on 8+ experiments. Savory, nutty, and aromatic pearl barley with a satisfying bouncy-chew. Tasty barley Instant Pot recipe makes a healthy side dish, breakfast, salad, substitute for other grains, or mix-in for stews and soups.
Barley
Barley is an ancient cereal grain that’s nutty and chewy when cooked. A nutritional superhero that’s high in fiber and packed with nutrients.
Barley provides a nutritious boost while adding a satisfying texture to your meal. Try one of our readers’ favorites: Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup!
In stores, you may find different forms of Barley. Including Hulled Barley (light golden brown), Pearled Barley (cream-colored), Pot Barley, Pressed Barley (Rolled Barley), and Quick-Cooking Barley.
Experiment: Instant Pot Pearl Barley
Pearl barley is more common and easier to find in stores. So we’re focusing our experiments on developing a Pearl Barley Instant Pot recipe.
What we’re looking for in perfectly cooked barley:
- Texture: fully cooked to the core, satisfyingly bouncy-chewy, not soggy, not soft or mushy, not hard or tough to chew
- Taste & Aroma: seasoned, not bland or watery tasting, flavorful, nutty, aromatic
Experiment Results
We did 8+ tests with pearl barley in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker using different pressure cooking and natural release times.
Note: The pressure cooking times are tested in a 6qt Instant Pot at Sea Level.
Experiment Conclusions
Based on the ratio of “1 cup (200g) pearl barley + 1¼ cup (313ml) cold water or stock”, the best pressure cooking method: Pressure cook at High Pressure for 15 to 20 minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes.
Choose a pressure cooking time between 15 to 20 minutes depending on the texture you like (more tender vs. bouncy-chewier) and how you’re enjoying the barley (side dish vs. add to soup).
As a side dish, the pressure cooker barley we enjoyed the most was from pressure cooking at High Pressure for 18 minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes.
How to Cook Instant Pot Barley
Ingredients for cooking barley in Instant Pot:
Pearl Barley (Pearled Barley). We developed this barley Instant Pot recipe using Pearl Barley. Pearl barley grains (cream-colored) are polished, removing the tougher inedible outer coating (hull) and the bran layer.
- Substituting with Hulled Barley or Pot Barley: Add more pressure cooking time accordingly.
Unsalted Chicken Stock. If you substitute with salted stock, taste and adjust the saltiness accordingly.
Tools for Barley Instant Pot Recipe
Optional: Rinse Barley
Rinse 1 cup (200g) pearl barley under cold water to remove any dirt, then drain with a mesh strainer.
Add Pearl Barley in Instant Pot
Add 1 cup (200g) pearl barley and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt to the Instant Pot.
Add 1¼ cup (313ml) unsalted chicken stock or cold water to the Instant Pot. Give it a quick mix.
Pressure Cook Barley
Close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position.
Instant Pot Barley Cook Time: Pressure Cook barley at High Pressure for 15 to 20 minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes.
As a side dish, we prefer pressure cooking at High Pressure for 18 minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes of natural release, release the remaining pressure by turning Venting Knob to Venting Position.
When the Floating Valve drops, open the lid carefully.
Fluff & Serve Instant Pot Barley
Taste the pressure cooker pearl barley, then add more salt if desired.
For reference, we didn’t add more salt because we usually serve it with other main dishes.
Fluff pressure cooker barley with a rice paddle or fork. Then, serve pearl barley.
What to Serve with Barley
This deliciously savory Instant Pot pearl barley is a very versatile dish.
You can serve it as a breakfast porridge or side dish substituting other grains like rice, oats, quinoa, or buckwheat. You can also add them to salads, stews, and soups.
Another tasty idea is to make barley bowls with eggs, vegetables, avocadoes, squash, your favorite toppings, and protein (like Shredded Chicken).
Here are some tasty dishes you can serve with Barley:
Chicken:
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
Beef:
- Instant Pot Japanese Beef Curry
- Instant Pot Salisbury Steak
- Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Roast Beef
Pork
Enjoy Fluffy Nutty Instant Pot Barley!
Instant Pot Barley
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) pearl barley
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1¼ cup (313ml) unsalted chicken stock or cold water
Equipment
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Instructions
- Optional - Rinse Barley: Rinse 1 cup (200g) pearl barley under cold water, then drain with a mesh strainer.
- Add Pearl Barley in Instant Pot: Add 1 cup (200g) pearl barley and ¼ tsp fine sea salt to Instant Pot. Add in 1¼ cup (313ml) unsalted chicken stock or cold water. Give it a quick mix.
- Pressure Cook Barley: Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook barley at High Pressure for 15 to 20 minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes. Open the lid carefully.Amy + Jacky's Pro Tip: We enjoy the barley's texture from pressure cooking at High Pressure for 18 minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes the most.
- Fluff & Serve Barley: Taste barley, then add more salt if desired. For reference, we didn't add more salt because we usually serve it with main dishes. Fluff barley with a rice paddle or fork. Serve with your favorite main dishes.
Notes
Nutrition
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