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Warm Mushroom and Barley Salad with Tarragon

Pearled barley keeps a pleasant chew beside deeply browned mushrooms, while a restrained sherry-vinegar dressing and fresh tarragon bring the warm salad into focus.

Warm barley and deeply browned mushrooms are tossed with fresh tarragon in a shallow bowl.

This warm grain salad builds its savory depth in a wide skillet: mushrooms brown first, then shallot and garlic soften in the flavorful pan. A light sherry-vinegar dressing keeps the barley lively without masking the earthiness of the mushrooms.

Keep the barley distinct

Pearled barley should be tender while each grain still holds its shape. Rinsing away loose starch and draining any broth left in the saucepan helps the finished salad stay glossy rather than pasty.

Make room for browning

Mushrooms release moisture as they cook, so a crowded skillet traps steam and delays browning. Working in batches gives their cut surfaces enough contact with the hot pan to develop deep color and savory flavor.

Cremini mushroom quarters brown in a wide skillet with open space between the pieces. — Mushroom quarters brown in a wide skillet with space between the pieces.

Carry the pan flavor forward

After the mushrooms are browned, shallot and garlic soften in the same skillet and dry sherry loosens the browned bits. Reducing that liquid before the barley returns concentrates the flavor instead of thinning the dressing.

Finish with tarragon

Fresh tarragon goes in at the end, where its anise-like aroma remains clear against the mushrooms. A brief rest lets warm barley take up the vinaigrette; serve the salad as a substantial lunch or savory side.

Intact barley grains and golden mushroom edges are flecked with fresh tarragon. — Tender barley, browned mushroom edges, and fresh tarragon show the salad's contrasting textures.

Warm Mushroom and Barley Salad with Tarragon

4 side servings

55 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 cup pearled barley, rinsed
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Method

Rinse the barley
Rinse the pearled barley in a fine-mesh strainer under cool water, rubbing the grains briefly to remove loose starch before cooking.
Look for: The rinse water runs mostly clear and the grains remain whole.
Simmer until tender
Combine the rinsed barley, vegetable broth, and 1/4 tsp salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower to a gentle covered simmer, and cook about 30 minutes, stirring once, until tender but still intact; drain any excess broth.
Look for: The barley is plump and pleasantly chewy without split, mushy grains.
Prepare the mushrooms
Wipe the cremini mushrooms clean, trim any dry stem ends, and quarter them so the pieces expose broad cut surfaces for browning. Set a wide skillet over medium-high heat until its surface is hot.
Look for: The skillet is hot enough that a mushroom piece sizzles on contact.
Brown in uncrowded batches
Add 1 tbsp olive oil and half the mushrooms to the skillet in a single layer. Leave them undisturbed until deeply browned underneath, turn, then cook until tender; transfer out and repeat with 1 tbsp oil and the remaining mushrooms. Season with 1/4 tsp salt as the second batch finishes.
Look for: The mushrooms give up their moisture, then develop dark golden edges rather than steaming in a crowded pan.
Cook the aromatics
Reduce the skillet heat to medium and add the chopped shallot and minced garlic with 1 tsp olive oil. Stir until softened and fragrant, then pour in the dry sherry and simmer, scraping up browned mushroom bits, until the liquid is mostly reduced.
Look for: The shallot is translucent, the garlic smells fragrant, and only a glossy film of sherry remains.
Whisk the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk the sherry vinegar and Dijon mustard until smooth. Whisk in the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and black pepper until the dressing looks lightly emulsified.
Look for: The mustard no longer sits in a lump and the dressing clings lightly to the whisk.
Fold the warm salad
Return the browned mushrooms to the skillet with the warm drained barley and reduced shallot-sherry mixture. Pour over the dressing, add the chopped tarragon, and fold gently until the grains glisten and the herbs are evenly distributed.
Look for: Barley stays intact, mushroom pieces remain distinct, and fresh tarragon is visible throughout.
Rest briefly and serve
Take the skillet off the heat and let the salad stand briefly so the warm barley absorbs the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve warm as a savory side or lunch.
Look for: The dressing coats the barley instead of pooling at the bottom of the serving bowl.