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Home » Recipe Type » Dinner
5 from 2 reviews

Barley Black Bean Tacos (Stovetop)

35 minutes
black beanscorngarlictomato
By: Pamela Reed
Posted:4/4/23
Updated:6/22/23
Jump to Recipe

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!

barley tacos on flour tortillas with shredded cheese, avocado and cilantro.

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.

blue plate filled with barley tacos and tortilla chips.

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.

pink spoon scooping out cooked barley.

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.

ingredients in skillet ready to be cooked.

Cook for about 10 minutes or until everything is heated up.

pink spoon mixing ingredients in skillet.

Add barley mixture to tortillas and then add toppings. Serve and enjoy!

tortilla filled with barley, black beans with shredded cheese and guacamole on top.

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
taco toppings in bowl on table.

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!

plate filled with barley tacos with tortilla chips on colorful table cloth.

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5 from 2 reviews

Barley Black Bean Tacos (Stovetop)

Print
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!
By: Pamela Reed
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 35 minutes minutes
serves 6

Ingredients

  • 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!

Video:

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: barley tacos
Vegetarian Summer
Did you make this?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @BrooklynFarmGirl and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below.

Similar Recipes

  • Baked Black Bean Tacos
  • Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
  • Slow Cooker Black Beans (for tacos)
  • 2-Minute Canned Black Bean & Corn Salsa

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Hi! I'm Pamela, an artist Mom who shares family recipes. My farm is a 1,000 sq ft apartment in NYC. Let's make dinner together.

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