Broad bean, Parmesan and spring herb risotto

By Reece Carter | Nutritionist

Published 2 December 2024

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A cast iron pan with pearl barley risotto lays on a table with a bowl of the dish to its side.

This is another recipe that’s inspired by the Mediterranean way of eating, and all about good gut health.

Pearl barley is packed full of resistant starch, which feeds the good gut bacteria and may strengthen gut, immune and mental wellbeing. Onion is full of prebiotic fibre that feeds the ‘good guys’ too. Preparing the broad beans can be a bit tedious, but believe us when we say it’s worth it. They are, in our opinion, a totally underrated seasonal vegetable!

Prep time

15m

Cook time

1h 10m

Serves

Ingredients

350g frozen broad beans
1 1/2 litres low-sodium vegetable stock
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 brown onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
300g (approx. 1 1/2 cups) pearl barley, rinsed
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan, plus extra to serve
Handful mint leaves, finely chopped
Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

Step 1:

If you’d like your broad beans to be a little softer, you can pod them. This step is optional depending on your preferences.

Step 2:

Bring a pot of slightly salted water to the boil, drop the beans in for 60 seconds, then immediately drain and run them under cold water to prevent them from cooking further.

Step 3:

If you chose not to pod the beans in step 1, peel them now. The easiest way is to just squeeze gently at one end and let the bean pop out. Place the peeled beans to one side.

Step 4:

Heat your stock in a pot over a medium heat until simmering.

Step 5:

In a separate heavy-based, wide pan, heat the olive oil then fry the onion and garlic for 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.

Step 6:

Add the barley, then pour in 500ml of the stock. You’ll need to keep the risotto at a medium simmer. Stir it occasionally and watch that it doesn’t dry out.

Step 7:

As soon as the barley absorbs most of the liquid, add another cup of simmering stock. Keep repeating this process until all the stock is used and the barley is soft and plump. This will take at least an hour.

Step 8:

Pearl barley, once cooked, will still be a little chewier than a risotto made with arborio rice, but if you run out of stock and the barley’s still not quite cooked through, just add a little boiling water (or some extra stock, if you’ve got it), and keep going until you’re happy with the consistency.

Step 9:

Remove from the heat, then stir through the broad beans, lemon zest and a 1/4 cup Parmesan. The residual heat will help it melt through.

Step 10:

Top with the herbs, extra Parmesan, sea salt to taste and plenty of cracked black pepper.