Simple Slow Cooker Barley Recipe with Curry & Carrots
This cozy barley recipe is one of those simple dishes you’ll keep coming back to. Barley, carrots, broth, and warm curry spices all go right into a crockpot in about 15 minutes and then slowly cooks into a hearty, flavorful dish all on it’s own. By dinnertime you have a warm, fiber rich nourishing side that pairs so good with just about anything, or even stands on its own with a dollop of yogurt or chutney.
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What do you think about barley? Well, if you ever think about it, that is. I really only ever thought of barley as a part of the classic beef & barley soup and I knew it was an ancient grain (actually the world’s oldest grain).
And while I loved it in soup, barley is a grain that I don’t always think about using as often as other grains. But every time I do (like in barley pilaf or cajun chicken barley vegetable soup), I remember how much I like it with it’s nutty, chewy taste and texture that is much heartier than rice.
Is Barley Healthy?
Barley really is a healthy addition to your diet, with double the amount of fiber of brown and wild rice, per cup! Pearled barley, while not as healthy as whole grain hulled barley, actually beats or meets the nutritional makeup of wild, brown, and white rice (source).
It’s best to use hulled barley if you can, since it includes the extra nutrition from the bran, though you’ll need to cook it a bit longer (I’ve included directions for both types in the recipe card below). You can read more about the differences between pearled and hulled barley here.
While barley is not gluten free, it is a worthy addition if you aren’t on a gluten restricted diet.
Ingredient Notes
- Barley: Use either pearled or hulled (directions for both are included in the recipe card)
- Vegetables: I always use carrots and onions in this recipe, onions for the flavor (and allium health benefits), and carrots for the color and additional nutrition. While optional, if I have a green on hand I will add a cup of it chopped like the chard shown above (complete with the stems) or kale or spinach (though I add spinach at the end just to wilt it). I also like using up any celery, mushrooms, or bell peppers if I have them. You can really make this vegetable-rich if you’d like!
- Herbs: I usually have fresh parsley and chives growing and occasionally use thyme. You can use what you have that you think would be good – or you can leave them out totally.
- Broth: This is definitely more flavorful with broth vs. water, so I do suggest broth if you have it. Use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.
- Curry powder: This seasoning is the star of the show and depending on the flavor of yours you can add more or less. For a light curry flavor, use 2 teaspoons of a mild Indian curry powder. We like things spicy, so I use 3 teaspoons of Indian curry labeled “hot curry.” And if we only have mild curry, I’ll add a bit of cayenne powder for that extra kick. If you’re unsure, start with the smaller amount and add more to taste when you make it again.
Let’s Make this Curry Barley Recipe
There are literally two steps to making this not quite 15-minute prep recipe before letting the slow cooker do the rest:
Step 1: Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker.
Step 2: Cook pearled barley on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours. Cook hulled barley on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours, or until tender.
This curried barley was a revelation when I first made it – I served it to guests after church because it would be ready when we got home (food rule #1 broken right there, oops). It was a simple meal of this barley, grilled chicken, and a garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette eaten on our patio – and the barley turned out to be the star of the meal. Everyone at the table, including me, was completely surprised at how good this turned out.
As you can imagine, this has become one of my go-to slow cooker recipes. It’s a great side dish for baked chicken in the winter and equally good with grilled meats or seafood and vegetables in the summer.
Oh, and to make this even more amazing, serve it with a bit of yogurt and a good chutney like Addictive Tomato Chutney or Spicy Rhubarb Chutney. Yum.
I hope this barley recipe will become a favorite of yours, too – please leave a rating and review to let me know!
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Simple Slow Cooker Barley Recipe with Curry & Carrots
Equipment
- 4 to 6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups pearl or hulled barley
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (increase to 4-1/2 for hulled barley)- in a pinch you can use water
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs of choice: parsley chives, thyme, or a mix (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder, to taste*
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt (to taste – more needed if using unsalted homemade broth)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne optional, to taste
- Optional additional vegetables see note**
- Yogurt and chutney for serving, optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the bowl of a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker.
- For pearled barley: cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours.
- For hulled barley: cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours (or until tender).
- Serve with yogurt and chutney, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Side Dishes
- Real Food Slow Cooker Cheesy-Garlic Scalloped Potatoes
- Spicy Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
- Lemon Garlic Baked Grated Carrots
- Curried Lentils with Bacon & Browned Cabbage
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This recipe has been updated, it was originally published in 2012.
