Italian Sausage and Barley Stew

I’m squeezing in one more warm and cozy dish before moving into spring. It may be April but we’re still having soup and stew weather here and there.

I don’t care what the calendar says, I love to cook things like this on a grey, drizzly day.

Thanks to Johnsonville and Allrecipes, I recently had the opportunity to try out some recipes using Johnsonville’s line of sausages. This one impressed me so much that I just had to share it with you. This post is not a requirement I am fulfilling; I am sharing the recipe purely because my family loved it and I thought you would too!

The grocery list – Barley, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, white wine, a big can of crushed tomatoes, beef broth (or base to make broth), onion, garlic, yukon gold potatoes, baby bella (brown) mushrooms, carrots, baby spinach, celery, and the star of the show – Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage. You’ll also need a little olive oil.

Barley is a fantastic whole grain to use in stews and soups. It adds great texture, fiber, and acts as a natural thickener.

Let’s start by coating a Dutch oven with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Place it over medium heat and add the chopped onion and garlic. After that cooks together for a couple of minutes, add the sausage links.

Let the sausage cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.

While the sausage is sizzling away, prepare the veggies. Peel and chop the potatoes and carrots into 1″ chunks.. Quarter the mushrooms and chop the celery.

Remove the partially cooked sausage to a cutting board to cool. It will not be completely cooked through at this point and that is fine. It will go back in the pot soon.

Toss all the chopped veggies into the pot with the onion and garlic.

Once the sausage has cooled enough for you to handle it, slice it up.

Add the uncooked barley to the pot. No need to cook it prior to adding it – so easy!

Along with the barley, it’s time to add the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, wine, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Add the sliced sausage back to the pot. It will finish cooking as the stew simmers, covered, for about 55 minutes.

After close to an hour, the barley will have softened, the veggies will be just right, and the sausage will be fully cooked through.

Add the entire bag of baby spinach. I know it looks like a lot but it will cook down and practically disappear as you stir it in. Keep the pot over medium heat for just another minute or two.

Looking good! Ready to serve.

A little French bread will complete the meal.

A hearty, wholesome, family meal. Loaded with veggies, barley, and flavorful Italian sausage.

Italian Sausage and Barley Stew

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

•  1 (19.76 ounce) package Johnsonville® Mild Italian Sausage links
•  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•  1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
•  2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
•  4 small yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
•  8 ounces baby bella (brown) mushrooms, quartered
•  2 stalks celery, chopped
•  1/2 cup barley, uncooked
•  1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
•  1-1/2 cups beef broth
•  1 cup dry white wine
•  1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
•  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1 (6 ounce) package fresh baby spinach

Directions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and minced garlic; cook 3 minutes or until slightly soft. Add sausage links to pan; cook 10 – 12 minutes or until sausage is browned and almost cooked through. Remove sausage links to cutting board and allow them to cool before coin slicing. Stir in carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and celery into the Dutch oven. Add the barley, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, wine, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add sliced sausage to the pot. Stir to combine all the ingredients.

Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and continue to simmer for about 50 minutes or until the barley is cooked. Remove cover and stir in spinach. Cook another  3 or 4 minutes, uncovered, till spinach has softened. Serve.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com