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Barley with Eggs and Spinach

saute pan with barley, spinach and eggs
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Barley with Eggs and Spinach is a quick, healthy dinner made with garlicky barley, baby spinach and soft, creamy eggs. I also love adding cheese!

(You'll need cooked barley for this recipe)

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to cooks the eggs
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I use a garlic press)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander (or cumin, curry powder or your favorite spice)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 to 3 cups cooked barley
  • 1 to 2 large handfuls baby spinach
  • 2 to 4 eggs (depending on how much you like eggs)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Instructions

  1. Saute olive oil, garlic, tomato paste and coriander (or another spice), in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly. You want the garlic and tomato paste to be lightly cooked without browning or sticking to the pan.
  2. Add water and stir to blend until smooth. Simmer for 30 seconds or so.
  3. Add cooked barley. Mix well with the tomato paste. Saute the barley for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. The color will darken and the tomato paste will thicken and stick to the barley. Add salt to taste.
  4. Add spinach. Turn heat to medium low. Cook until the spinach is wilted to your liking.
  5. Push the barley to one side of the skillet. Drizzle more olive oil (a tablespoon or two) on the empty side of the skillet.
  6. Add eggs to the empty olive oil side of the skillet. Cook the eggs until done to your liking. I break the yolks, but I don’t really scramble the eggs. I cook the eggs only briefly, so the yolks are still runny. You can do this too, or completely scramble and cook the eggs. Or, you could also make fried eggs.
  7. Combine the eggs with the barley and spinach. Read the blog post above for a list of  additional toppings (liked melted cheese or fresh herbs)

Notes

This sort of combination - grain, greens and eggs - can be made with any type of cooked grain. Try farro or quinoa. 

I keep a tube of tomato paste in the refrigerator, for recipes that only require a tablespoon or two. 

Find it online: https://www.kitchenskip.com/barley-with-eggs-spinach/