Pearl barley and tomato risotto recipe

Name: Pearl barley and tomato risotto
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 100g sundried tomatoes (drained weight), finely chopped, plus 1 tbsp oil from the jar; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 15g fresh parsley, stems finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped; 350g pearl barley; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 1 reduced-salt vegetable stock cube, made up to 600ml; 100g Greek-style salad cheese, crumbled

Created by The Tesco Recipes team

Try a new twist on a classic risotto recipe by using budget-friendly pearl barley. With tangy sundried tomatoes, garlic and parsley, this easy veggie dinner is full of Italian flavour and, what's more, it's healthy too. Finish with crumbly cheese, or freeze for another day.

See method

Serves 4
Takes 50 mins
492 calories / serving

Shop your ingredients

Polli Sliced Sundried Tomatoes in Oil 190g
100g sundried tomatoes (drained weight), finely chopped, plus 1 tbsp oil from the jar
£2.45
£24.50/kg DR.WT
Tesco Brown Onions Loose
1 onion, finely chopped
£0.11
£0.95/kg
Tesco Garlic 4 Pack
Aldi Price Match
3 garlic cloves, crushed
£0.87
£0.22/each
Tesco Fresh Cut Flat Leaf Parsley 30G
Aldi Price Match
15g fresh parsley, stems finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
£0.50
£16.67/kg
Tesco Pearl Barley 500G
350g pearl barley
£1.20
£2.40/kg
Grower's Harvest Chopped Tomatoes 400G
Aldi Price Match
400g tin chopped tomatoes
£0.43
£1.08/kg
Oxo Reduced Salt Vegetable Stock Cubes 12 Pack 71G
Any 4 for 3 Clubcard Price - Cheapest Product Free - Selected Cooking Ingredients
Offer valid for delivery from 29/09/2026 until 26/10/2026
1 reduced-salt vegetable stock cube, made up to 600ml
£2.65
£37.32/kg
Creamfields Greek Style Salad Cheese 200G
Aldi Price Match
100g Greek-style salad cheese, crumbled
£0.85
£4.25/kg

Method

Heat the 1 tbsp oil from the tomato jar in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic and parsley stems and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 mins until soft and translucent. Stir in the pearl barley, sundried tomatoes, chopped tomatoes and stock.
Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30-40 mins, stirring occasionally, until the barley is just cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
Give the barley a good stir until it’s released its starch and the risotto is creamy; season with pepper. Stir in the cheese and parsley leaves to serve.

Tip: To make it vegan, use a stock pot instead of a cube and swap the feta for 2 tbsp nutritional yeast.

See more Family dinner ideas

Freezing and defrosting guidelines
In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.