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30-Minute Creamy Pearl Barley Breakfast Porridge

5 from 1 vote
Simple and delicious barley porridge made with pearl barley, almond milk and maple syrup. A vegan recipe that's a great swap from traditional oatmeal. Barley porridge offers a deep, wheaty, full-bodied flavour that's so comforting.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Nov 20, 2016 (Last updated May 28, 2026) by Hannah Sunderani

Switch up your morning with this Easy Barley Porridge Recipe! It’s equally as thick and creamy as a wholesome bowl of oats, but stars pearl barley as the main ingredient! All you need is two simple ingredients: pearl barley and almond milk; and 30 minutes to whip up this winter breakfast porridge! I served this to my 10-month old baby and he loved it!

This delicious baby friendly pearl barley porridge offers a deep, wheat-y, full-bodied flavour that is a welcome change from my typical oatmeal. Top with your favourite fruits, or try it with my 10-Minute Raspberry Chia Jam or my 10-Minute Sticky Sweet Carmelized Bananas!

An image of Easy Barley Porridge topped mixed berries, figs and pecans. The porridge is in a grey bowl with a spoon in the middle. The bowl is sitting on a white backdrop with another bowl of porridge in the top and figs and pecans sprinkled around.
All of the ingredients to make Easy Barley Porridge separated into bowls. The bowls are on a white backdrop.

Ingredient Notes

As I mentioned, the ingredients for this recipe are so simple and wholesome. You’ll just need the following, and likely you already have them in your kitchen:

  • Pearl barley: Make sure to purchase whole pearled barley (not barley flakes or barley flour!). It’s typically light in colour, has a smooth outer texture, and looks like a large round grain. 
  • Almond milk: I prefer using almond milk in this recipe as it adds a nice nutty flavour without being overpowering. I also recipe tested this with coconut milk and with a splash of cashew cream and it was delicious!
A close up image of Easy Barley Porridge topped mixed berries, figs and pecans. The porridge is in a grey bowl with a spoon in the middle. The bowl is sitting on a white backdrop with another bowl of porridge at the bottom and figs and pecans sprinkled around.

How to Make Barley Porridge

Before bringing to a gentle simmer, I highly recommend pulsing the barley in a high speed blender until coarsely chopped. The grains should be broken into smaller pieces, but not blended for so long that they become a ground barley! This is essential to helping it cook into a uniform creamy texture, very similar to a bowl of Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal or Amaranth Porridge. 

Barley grains in a blender container. The container is sitting on a white backdrop.
Place the barley grains in the blender container.
Barley grains blended to barley pearls in a blender container. The container is sitting on a white backdrop.
Pulse a few times to break the pearl barley into smaller pieces.
Pearl barley and plant-based milk stirred together. This mixture is in a grey saucepan with a wooden spoon in the middle. The saucepan is on a white backdrop.
Add the pearl barley and almond milk to a saucepan.
The salt and maple syrup added to the barley mixture. This mixture is in a grey saucepan with a wooden spoon in the middle and a pink bowl that is pouring the maple syrup. The saucepan is on a white backdrop.
Add the maple syrup and salt. Bring to a boil.
The barley mixture that has thickened into a porridge. The porridge is in a grey saucepan with a wooden spoon in the middle. The saucepan is on a white backdrop.
Lower the heat and let the porridge simmer until it has thickened, about 25-30 minutes.

Finally, transfer the creamy porridge to individual serving bowls, top with your desired toppings and serve while warm and comforting. Enjoy!

Barley porridge being scooped with a wooden spoon into a grey bowl. The bowl is sitting on a white backdrop with two additional bowls of porridge, figs and pecans that are scattered around.

I hope you love this Barley Porridge as much as I do! If you do make this recipe, please let me know in the comments below what you think and check out The Two Spoons App for more wholesome vegan recipes like this! I truly love hearing from you, and I’m always here to answer any questions you might have. 

And of course, tag me on Instagram with your pictures using the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations. 

Easy Barley Porridge topped with mixed berries and figs. The porridge is in a grey bowl. The bowl is sitting on a white backdrop with two additional bowls of porridge, a cup of maple syrup, figs and pecans scattered around.

30-Minute Creamy Pearl Barley Breakfast Porridge

5 from 1 vote
By Hannah Sunderani
Simple and delicious barley porridge made with pearl barley, almond milk and maple syrup. A vegan recipe that's a great swap from traditional oatmeal. Barley porridge offers a deep, wheaty, full-bodied flavour that's so comforting.
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An image of Easy Barley Porridge topped mixed berries, figs and pecans. The porridge is in a grey bowl with a spoon in the middle. The bowl is sitting on a white backdrop with pecans sprinkled around.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Serves 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 3 cup almond milk plus more if needed
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup or to taste
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 cups frozen mixed berries , optional for topping

Instructions

  • Pulse barley in your blender until coarsely chopped (so that all the grains are broken, but not powdered).
  • Transfer the chopped barley to a medium saucepan and pour in the almond milk, maple syrup and salt.
  • Turn heat to medium-high and bring the porridge to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so it's simmering. Cook the porridge, stirring occasionally until it's soft, thickened, and pleasantly chewy, 25-30 minutes. (Add splashes more almond milk while cooking to thin, if desired, for preferred consistency).
  • Transfer the barley porridge to bowls and top each with 1/2 cup thawed red berries. Also optional to add chopped pecans for crunch!

Notes

Recipe will keep for up to 5 days. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container.
Recipe can also be frozen for up to 3 months. I like to portion the porridge into individual air-tight containers to freeze. Reheat in the microwave.
Instead of mixed berries, try topping this barley porridge with Apple Compote or Apple Butter.
Nutritional information is a rough estimate.

Approvals

Nutrition

Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 133IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 295mg | Iron: 2mg
DID YOU

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  1. The barley flour will give it a more digestible texture.. more gentle. Toast the flour in a bit of butter or ghee and ad water or milk i like water.. stir5 minutes till thick.. great for weight loss

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