Barley with Vegetables (Cooked in a Rice Cooker)

Your rice cooker can do a whole lot more than rice, and this recipe proves it.

Dump pearl barley, vegetable stock, chopped onion, diced tomatoes, canned mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, parsley, and pepper into the pot. Stir once, close the lid, press the button.

Forty-five minutes later, the barley is tender and plump, the tomatoes have melted into a savory sauce, and the mushrooms are silky throughout.

No stirring, no watching, no fuss.

It works on the stovetop too if you don’t have a rice cooker. Just bring it to a boil, drop the heat to low, and simmer covered.

Kitchen Tips

• Use vegan Worcestershire sauce to keep this fully plant-based. It adds a deep, tangy umami that regular soy sauce can’t replicate.
• Fresh mushrooms work if you don’t have canned. Slice them thin so they cook through in the same time frame.
• This makes a generous single serving or two lighter portions. Scale it up easily by doubling everything.