Healthy Barley Bowl
This Healthy Barley Bowl with roasted butternut squash and white beans is full of color, texture, and flavor for a well-balanced vegan lunch, dinner, or make-ahead meal!
A life uncomplicated is the way to live, and this Roasted Butternut Squash, Beans & Barley Bowl is a perfect example of simplicity and deliciousness!
These simple, easy dishes are so many times overlooked. Let’s embrace them more often!
Colorful, tasty, and extremely satisfying, this healthy grain bowl is a wonderful complete meal that includes lots of protein from the beans and barley, as well as tons of fiber.
The butternut squash, with its sweet roasted flavor, gives life and warmth to the dish while adding its benefits of iron, potassium, and vitamin C.
Add spinach, avocado, and a touch of thyme, and this has rounded out nicely without breaking the bank.
Ingredients + Subs
In this barley bowl recipe, butternut squash is roasted, barley is simmered, and white beans and spinach are sauteed, creating a healthy and delicious vegan grain bowl that can easily be customized to suit your taste.
Here is everything you’ll need, plus substitution ideas (measurements are in the recipe card below):
- Pearl barley – Use 10-minute barley for quickness or regular pearled barley which will take about 45 minutes.
- Vegetable broth – Will give the most flavor when cooking the barley, can sub with water as well,
- Olive oil
- Butternut squash – You can substitute with a sweet potato, or add a cubed beet or handful of halved Brussels sprouts.
- Onion – Any color will do.
- Great northern or cannellini beans – Chickpeas can also be used.
- Baby spinach – Sub with baby kale or arugula.
- Garlic powder – You can substitute with fresh minced garlic.
- Thyme – Other herbs that would be great here with the butternut squash are rosemary and sage.
- Avocado – Adds a nice creaminess. You can also drizzle with Tahini Dressing.
How To Make A Barley Bowl
Here is a quick look at the steps and what your finished results should resemble. The full printable instructions is below.
- Cook the grain. If using regular barley, start with grain as it will take 45 minutes. If using a 10-minute quick-cooking barley, start with the squash.
- Roast the butternut squash. The squash will be cubed and tossed with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, then roasted in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. It is ready when fork tender.
- Saute the green + beans. Lastly, saute the onions, add the spinach, and cook until wilted (using a cover will help wilt the spinach faster). Add the beans and a dash or two of garlic powder, and cook until heated through.
And now you’re ready to dine!
Serve with avocado and season to taste with salt & pepper.
More Healthy Grain Bowls!
You can never have too many healthy grain bowls in your kitchen library. Take a look at these other recipes, you may find a new favorite for the meal rotation!
- Roasted Nourish Bowl
- Cuban Black Bean + Mango Bowl
- Roasted Buddha Bowl
- See all Healthy Grain Bowls on TSV!
If you try this vegan barley bowl or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintHEALTHY BARLEY BOWL
Healthy Barley bowl with roasted butternut squash, beans and spinach is a bowl full of simple goodness! Change up the beans and grain to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3
- Category: Entree
- Method: bake, saute, simmer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried pearl barley
- 2 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small butternut squash (about 2 1/2 cups), diced
- 1/2 small onion, sliced
- 1 can (15 oz.) great northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 – 3 handfuls baby spinach
- generous dash of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh)
- mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- avocado, to serve
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cook grain: In a medium size pot add barley, a pinch of salt and water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove cover and let set 5 – 10 minutes, fluff with a fork. Drain any remaining liquids. If using quick cooking barley, follow package instructions making 4 servings (1 cup barley + 1 1/3 cup veg broth).
Roast squash: While your barley is simmering, prepare your butternut squash by cubing into 3/4 – 1 inch pieces. Place on roasting pan lined with parchment paper, a silpat or lightly greased. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme and salt. Place on middle rake for 25 – 30 min, stirring once. Squash is ready when fork pierces easily.
Beans: In a medium size pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat, add onions and cook about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted (using a cover will help wilt the spinach faster), add beans and a dash or two of garlic powder, cook until heated through.
Serve: In individual bowls, add a portion of barley, beans and butternut squash. Add a side of sliced avocado.
Serve with avocado and season to taste with salt & pepper.
Serves 3
Notes
Switch up the butternut squash with sweet potato.
If you like this bowl, but prefer gluten free options you can sub with brown rice or quinoa.
Just about any bean will work here, use your favorite or what you have on hand.
Other herbs to use are rosemary or sage.
Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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Yummm! Enjoying this bowl for this week’s lunches and in the future!
Anyone recommend a sauce they’ve made for this?
MY reply: You can try using this easy Chimichurri or simple Tahini Sauce recipes. Sometimes we like to thin hummus with water and use that as a sauce (you can flavor it with sriracha, spices or herbs). I hope that helps!
Delissio 👌…
Simple, tasty & Filling!!
Switched up barley for Jerusalem Couscous… just as yummy.
Thanks a million
:)
Have you tried it with roasted sweet potato before?
Yes, it's so good! I highly recommend trying it as well.