A nutritious and hearty Carrot and Barley Side Dish featuring pearl barley, sautéed carrots, and yellow bell pepper, flavoured with tomato paste, herbs and spices.
Recipe Intro
Carrots play a key role in Croatian cooking, appearing in various dishes. Simple sautéed carrots are just as popular as sautéed potatoes (dinstani krumpir).
In this recipe, adding barley takes the carrots to the next level, making them even more hearty and nutritious. Perfect for autumn and winter, this dish combines simple flavours with a wholesome twist. Add a few extra vegetables of your choice, and you get a fantastic vegetarian main meal!
Carrot and barley side dish ingredients
- carrots
- barley
- onion
- garlic
- pepper
- tomato concentrate
- plain white flour
- sweet paprika
- smoked paprika
- parsley, thyme
- honey
Notes
Feel free to use any barley for this dish, but opting for quick-cooking varieties such as pearl barley can make preparation quick and easy.
Use red or yellow bell pepper.
Best use light honey, such as acacia honey, wildflowers or linden honey for a mild sweetness that enhances flavours without overpowering the dish.
Check out some more tasty international side dishes:
How to make Carrot and Barley side dish?
- Peel and slice the carrots, or cut them into smaller pieces. Finely chop the onions. Add oil to a frying pan and sauté the onions for 3-5 minutes.
- Once the onions have taken on some colour and become translucent, add the finely diced peppers and cook for 10 minutes until the peppers are completely softened, stir from time to time. In the last minute, add finely chopped garlic or garlic paste to avoid burning, as garlic can become bitter if cooked too long.
- After onions and peppers are nicely done, add vegetable stock or water, then add sliced carrots and pre-washed barley. Stir well and season with salt. If using stock, be cautious with the salt, as it may not be necessary to add much, if any. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or according to the barley packaging instructions, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid as needed.
- In the last 10 minutes, add tomato paste, chopped parsley, sweet and smoked paprika, honey and pepper to taste. Stir well.
- Towards the end, make a roux by frying some flour in a little oil in a small pan. Add this to the carrots and barley, and stir well. The sauce will thicken. Cook for a minute or two on low heat.
For extra flavour, you can make the roux with butter instead of oil. However, if you watch your weight, you can skip the roux and still enjoy the dish.
Tip: If you have leftovers for the next day, the dish will thicken even more, so add some water and reheat it until it reaches a boil.
What to serve with carrot and barley?
The carrot and barley side dish goes well with any type of meat, whether it’s roasted, cooked, or fried. In Croatia, it’s often served alongside polpete (minced meat patties), pan-fried veal steaks or chicken escalopes.
I served it with pan-fried chicken breasts and mushrooms, which paired perfectly.
Variations:
- Soup version: Add extra vegetable stock or water to make the dish thinner, turning it into a hearty soup. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
- Vegetarian Main Meal: Mix in additional vegetables you prefer or whatever is available in your fridge. This makes the dish a nutritious and filling vegetarian main course.
- Meat Addition: Add your choice of meat, such as chicken, beef, or sausages. This transforms the dish into a satisfying main meal.
Recipe Card
Carrot and Barley Side Dish Croatian-style
Ingredients
- 4 carrots - medium size
- 2/3 cup pearl barley
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
SEASONING
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp sweet ground paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 tsp thyme
- vegetable stock - optional
- salt, pepper - to taste
- sunflower oil - for frying
ROUX
- 1 tsp flour - plain white
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
Instructions
- Add oil to a frying pan and sauté the onions for 3-5 minutes until translucent.
- Add finely diced peppers and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. In the last minute add choped garlic.
- Now add 500ml stock or water, followed by carrots and pre-washed barley. Stir well and season with salt (be cautious with stock).
- Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or according to barley packaging instructions, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid ( water or stock) as needed.
- In the last 10 minutes, add tomato paste, chopped parsley, sweet and smoked paprika, honey, and pepper to taste.
- Make a roux by frying flour in oil ( or butter) in a small pan. Fry for about 30 seconds.
- Add the roux to the carrots and barley, stir well, and cook for 1-2 minutes on low heat to thicken the sauce.