Delicious Barley Black Bean Tacos, made on the stovetop. Barley is simmered in broth, and then added to a skillet with black beans, diced tomatoes, corn and spices. Vegetarian family friendly meal that even my kids gobble up!
Easy Barley Black Bean Tacos
Hi, my name is Pamela and I love barley. Hi Pamela. Hi everybody.
Seriously though, barley is amaaaaaazing. If you haven’t noticed I’m on a barley kick (hey kielbasa barley soup), so one evening I got home from work, didn’t know what what to make for dinner and quickly came up with this taco recipe that my family absolutely loved!
This is a great alternative to meat filled tacos as it’s vegetarian friendly, so it’s great for Taco Tuesday, Meatless Monday, or any day of the week you want! Looking for more taco inspired recipes? Also try my Shrimp Fajitas, Baked Black Bean Tacos, Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas and Stovetop Taco Soup.
The result is extra tasty tacos, filled with barley, black beans, diced tomatoes, corn and simple spices. Fill up your tortillas, add your favorite toppings and enjoy your barley tacos!
How to Cook Barley on the Stove
Add barley and broth (vegetable or chicken) to a large pot. Cook on high heat, bringing to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and then cook until barley is tender. If any liquid is remaining, drain it.
Pearl barley takes about 20-30 minutes to fully cook on the stove.
How to Make Barley Tacos
Cook barley as instructed above.
In a large skillet add cooked barley, black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, garlic, spices and lime juice.
Cook for about 10 minutes or until everything is heated up.
Add barley mixture to tortillas and then add toppings. Serve and enjoy!
Add your Favorite Toppings
After you add the barley to tortillas, start adding your favorite topping such as:
- shredded cheese
- chopped lettuce
- salsa or salsa verde
- guacamole or sliced avocado
- sour cream
- cilantro
Can I cook my barley in the rice cooker instead?
Yes, you absolutely can. This is a method I often use when I have other things to do around our house.
To cook barley in the rice cooker, add 1 ½ cup barley with 4 cups of broth into the rice cooker. Now cook according to your rice cooker directions.
When it’s finished, simply remove from the rice cooker and add into the skillet to mix with the other ingredients.
Can I make barley tacos in the crockpot?
Sure. Add all of the ingredients (except the tortillas) to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or until barley is tender. I recommend only using 3 cups of broth, instead of 4, as the additional liquid is only needed for the stove top method.
Note: Slow Cooker Barley Tacos recipe coming soon! For now try my Slow Cooker Black Bean Tacos!
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Barley Black Bean Tacos (Stovetop)
PrintIngredients
- 1 ½ cup pearl barley
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 15 ounce can black beans drained
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 8 tortillas flour or corn
Instructions
- In a large pot, add pearl barley and broth, bringing it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until barley is tender, about 20-30 minutes. The barley should soak up most of the broth, but if any liquid is remaining drain it.
- In a large skillet add cooked barley, black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin and lime juice, mixing well to combine. Heat on medium heat until everything is thoroughly heated.
- Serve on tortillas with your favorite toppings (such as shredded cheese, lettuce, avocado, salsa, cilantro, etc) and enjoy!
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