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Swap out rice for hearty pearl barley in this Barley Fried Rice, a wholesome twist on a takeout classic. Pack in fiber and texture with every chewy bite. Load up on colorful veggies to boost flavor and nutrition. Stir in scrambled eggs for added protein and richness. Tie everything together with a savory sauce that brings bold, comforting flavor to every forkful. If you have day-old rice you want to you, I recommend heading over to my Spam Fried Rice recipe or adding it to my Beef and Rice Soup.

Cook up a bigger batch of barley as seen in my Barley Tabbouleh Salad and try other barley salad variations like my Mediterranean Barley Salad and White Bean Barley Salad.

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Ingredients for Barley Fried Rice
How to Make Barley Fried Rice
Substitutions
Storage
Recipe

Ingredients for Barley Fried Rice

Find below the list of ingredients I used to make my Barley Fried Rice. Feel free to add or take out any veggies. Use what you have in your refrigerator or use a premade frozen vegetable mix.

Ingredients on the kitchen counter, including cooked barley, eggs, and fresh vegetables.

Cook Pearl Barley
Celery
Bell Pepper
Carrots
Mushrooms
Green Onion
Garlic Cloves
Frozen Green Beans
Frozen Corn
Large Eggs
Ginger Root
Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Sesame Oil

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Barley Fried Rice

Start by preparing all of you vegetables, slicing them thinly so they can cook quickly. Make sure all your ingredients are ready before starting the cooking process, including whisking the eggs in a small bowl.

Someone adding vegetables to a large skillet of already cooking vegetables.

Heat up a large non-stick skillet or pan on medium-high heat. Drizzle olive oil in the pan and then start adding; the peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add in the minced garlic, frozen corn, and frozen beans.

Someone pouring liquid eggs into a large pan containing vegetables.

Move the vegetables over to one side of the pan. Drizzle a little more oil in the other half of the pan and pour in the whisking eggs.

Someone stirring eggs while cooking until scrambled.

Stir the eggs while they cook until they come together into a scramble.

Someone adding cooked barley to a large pan of cooked vegetables.

5. Add the cooked barley to the skillet with the vegetable and the eggs. Cook the Barley Fried Rice for 3-4 minutes to give the barley some color and to heat everything through.

Someone pouring soy sauce in a large pan of barley fried rice.

6. Pour the soy sauce in the hot pan to deglaze and release all the flavors. Add the grated ginger and sesame oil and cook for a couple minutes.

7. Serve the Barley Fried Rice right away while hot. Enjoy as is, or top with protein, like crispy tofu, pan fried shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken.

Substitutions

Barley - Substitute the barley with day-old cooked rice for a more traditional Fried Rice recipe.
Vegetables - Use any fresh veggies you have in the refrigerator, a frozen stir-fry vegetable mix, or even canned like baby corn.
Protein - Serve the Barley Fried Rice with your favorite protein choice. Fry up shrimps, use shredded rotisserie chicken, or even crispy cubes of tofu.

Storage

Let the Barley Fried Rice cool to room temperature to avoid sogginess. Transfer it into an airtight container to lock in freshness. Place the container in the refrigerator and store for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave until steaming hot before serving. Freeze individual portions for up to 2 months for longer storage. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best results.

Barley fried rice in a serving bowl, garnished with pan-fried shrimp.

Recipe