Warm up with a flavorful mushroom barley stew with chestnuts. This dish will delight your senses with savory roasted chestnuts and crunchy water chestnuts. It is best for dinners and great for meal prep.
Full disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
As it gets colder, the silver lining is we get to cozy up with hot soups and stews. This Mushroom and Barley Stew with Chestnuts is one of my favorites as it is hearty and can be an accompaniment to a meal -like salmon or a big dinner salad- or served on its own as a main dish. The addition of two kinds of chestnuts happened when I asked Kia to grab the jar of chestnuts from the cupboard and he handed me water chestnuts. Though not the chestnuts I had in mind…I suddenly remembered a delicious hot and sour soup I had at Dave Wong’s Restaurant that had a delightful crunch – and so, water chestnuts made it into the recipe.
TIPS FOR MAKING MUSHROOM BARLEY STEW WITH CHESTNUTS
Rehydrate Porcini. It is important to do this as the first step to give the mushrooms enough time or absorb water. I like to place the dried porcini in a coffee or teacup, pour hot water over them until they are covered, then place a plate or saucer over the cup to keep the liquid warm.
Cook Barley Separately. It’s best to cook the barley first so that your stew remains brothy. It will still soak up the flavors of the stew – in fact – we like it even better the next day after the barley has time to marinade in the savory broth.
Use the Porcini Liquid. Make sure to strain the mushroom liquid into the pot as it is packed with flavor.
When to add tomato paste. Avoid rubbery onions…I learned from Samin Nosrat’s book (wonderful read!), that acids -like tomatoes or vinegar- stop the cooking process in ingredients like onions and beans. Make sure to add the tomato paste after the onions become translucent to ensure you get the right texture.
Broth Substitutions. I like the taste of beef bone broth best, but if you’re trying to fit a certain diet or don’t have any on hand feel free to substitute the broth. I suggest mushroom stock, veggie stock, or even pure water.
HEALTH TALK
Please take my advice like you do from a friend, not your doctor as I am not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. I have a passion for health and cooking and my hope is to bring you information that will help you live a health-filled life.
This mushroom barley Stew with chestnuts recipe is super savory and loaded with powerful immunity-boosting mushrooms. Shitake mushrooms are a good source of copper, zinc, and selenium. Plus, mushrooms are one of the few foods where cooking helps release their nutrients, making them great for longer cook dishes like soups and stews. Barley is also rich in vitamins and minerals though its primary benefit is its high fiber content which contributes to improve digestion, reduce hunger and even weight loss. Moreover, a one-bowl serving delivers 39%DV fiber, 20%DV protein, 25%DV vitamin C, and a whopping 62%DV of vitamin A. For more great reading about mushrooms and barley visit the sources at the bottom of this post.
EQUIPMENT:
FYI, I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Dutch Oven or Medium Pot – like this one
Wooden Spoon
Chef’s Knife – I love the Victorinox 8”
Print
Mushroom Barley Stew with Chestnuts—Two Kinds!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 70
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Description
Warm up with a flavorful mushroom barley stew with chestnuts. This dish will delight your senses with savory roasted chestnuts and crunchy water chestnuts. It is best for dinners and great for meal prep. Vegan options.
Ingredients
8 oz fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
6 oz dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
½ can water chestnuts, chopped thin
½ pkg roasted chestnuts, sliced
½ cup barley
1 Tbsp tomato paste
3 cups beef bone broth (can use water or veggie broth)
¾ cup hot water (for rehydrating porcinis)
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ¼ tspn ground thyme)
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp Sea Salt
¼ tsp Pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- Rehydrate Porcini. Place the dried porcini in a coffee or teacup, pour hot water over them until they are covered, and place a plate or saucer over the cup to keep the liquid warm. Set aside.
- Cook barley. Rinse barley. Combine 1/2 cup barley with 1 1/2 cups water (or broth) and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and lower to a simmer. Cover and cook until tender (should be a little chewy) about 40-50. When done, add to the main pot.
- Heat Pot and Sauté Veggies. Add olive oil to preheated pot. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, shitake mushrooms, salt, pepper, and thyme until onions become translucent (about 10 minutes).
- Add Chestnuts and Tomato Paste. Add both kinds of chestnuts and tomato paste. Sauté another 2 minutes.
- Strain, Rinse, Chop and Add Porcini. Strain the mushroom liquid into the pot. Rinse the porcini to remove any grit, then chop into small pieces.
- Add Broth and Barley. Add broth and cooked barley. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 min.
- Add Sherry. Add Sherry and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, tasting and adjusting seasoning as necessary.
- Serve Hot with Fresh Parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Substitutions. I like the taste of beef bone broth best, but if you’re trying to fit a certain diet or don’t have any on hand feel free to substitute the broth. I suggest mushroom stock, veggie stock, or even pure water. You may also substitute the mushrooms with any kind you like. I’ve made this recipe with crimini and it tastes great.
As always, make it your own and tell me what you created in the comments section.
Keywords: Stew, Mushroom, Barley, Chestnuts, Vegan Options
Furthermore, for more information on the nutritional benefits of mushrooms and barley, check out these resources:
Popular Science – 4 Reasons you should eat more Mushrooms
World’s Healthiest Foods – What’s new and beneficial about Shitake Mushrooms
Healthline – 9 Impressive Health Benefits of Barley
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