Crockpot Barley Casserole Recipe

Name: Crockpot Barley Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 375 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 onion (chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 cup uncooked pearl barley; 1/2 cup tomato juice; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; 1 red bell pepper (chopped); 1 cup mushrooms (chopped); 2-1/2 cups vegetable broth; 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 6 hrs

Total: 6 hrs 15 mins

Servings: 4 servings

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Barley makes such a wonderful side dish. The whole grains are chewy and have a wonderful nutty taste. When properly cooked, barley is tender but still has a bit of a bite, similar to al dente pasta. It cooks very well in the slow cooker.

This delicious casserole recipe can be served as a vegetarian main dish or a side dish. It is a great recipe to serve alongside roast chicken or meatloaf.

You can change the seasonings and the vegetables you use in this easy recipe in many ways. Use grated carrots, vary the types of mushrooms you use (cremini or brown mushrooms would be delicious), or add other veggies such as sliced zucchini or yellow summer squash. Whenever you make a change in a recipe, be sure to write down what you did so you can reproduce it.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

In a small microwave-safe dish, combine the olive oil with the onion and garlic. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until the onion is tender.
Then combine the onions, garlic, barley, tomato juice, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and vegetable broth in a 3-quart slow cooker (don't use a larger crock pot). Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the barley and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts just before serving.
If you have a newer crock pot, check the barley at 4 1/2 hours to see if it's done. The vegetables should be done at that point too since your slow cooker cooks hotter.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
330	Calories
12g	Fat
51g	Carbs
9g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	330
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	16%
Saturated Fat 1g	6%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 633mg	28%
Total Carbohydrate 51g	18%
Dietary Fiber 10g	37%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 74mg	371%
Calcium 46mg	4%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 545mg	12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.