006 / 75 · Breakfasts with Staying Power
Peach, Tahini and Yogurt Overnight Barley
2 bowls, each with half the barley-yogurt mixture and 1 peach · Active 15 min · Cook 0 min · Total 8 hr 15 min
Print recipe · PDFCooked barley gives overnight breakfast a pleasantly chewy texture. Yogurt softens its edges without dissolving the grain, and tahini adds a nutty depth that works with ripe peaches. This is an assembly recipe using barley that has already been cooked and safely chilled. The overnight rest happens entirely in the refrigerator. In the morning, a few peach wedges and a quick stir are all that separate a container of prepared ingredients from a finished breakfast.
Start with cooked, cold barley
Dry barley cannot become tender simply by soaking in yogurt overnight. Cook it according to its package first, then spread it in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. For this recipe, weigh 200 g after cooking and draining; that is roughly one generous cup. If you are starting from dry grain, allow about 35–45 minutes for cooking plus cooling time before the overnight stage. Package directions take precedence because pearled and hulled barley cook at different rates.
Keep the fruit fresh and the tahini smooth
Stir tahini well in its jar before measuring. Oil at the top and dense paste at the bottom will give very different results if scooped separately. A little milk loosens the yogurt enough to coat the barley. Keep the peaches whole until morning when possible; freshly cut wedges hold their shape and make the finished bowl feel lighter. If your peach is very firm, dice it small rather than expecting the refrigerator to soften it. The honey is measured, so taste the ripe fruit before deciding whether to add any extra separately.
Ingredients
- 1 generous cup cooked pearled barley, drained and cold (200 g)
- 1 1/4 cups plain 2% Greek yogurt (300 g)
- 1/2 cup 2% milk (120 ml)
- 2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini (30 g), divided: 24 g for the mixture and 6 g for serving
- 2 teaspoons honey (14 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (2 ml)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (0.7 g)
- 2 medium peaches, pitted and sliced (300 g prepared fruit)
Set out
2 lidded breakfast containers, Mixing bowl, Kitchen scale, Small whisk
Allergens
Milk, Sesame, Barley (gluten). Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Check that the cooked barley is cold. Whisk yogurt, milk, 24 g of the tahini, honey, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl until the tahini is evenly incorporated.
- Stir in the barley and divide equally between two lidded containers. Refrigerate at 40°F/4°C or below for at least 8 hours.
- Before serving, slice the peaches using a clean board and knife. Stir each barley portion; divide the peach slices between the two bowls, arranging a few on top. Drizzle 3 g of the reserved tahini over each bowl and serve cold.
Use an evening grain pot efficiently
When barley is on the dinner plan, reserve the measured portion before adding a savory sauce. Cool that portion promptly for breakfast. This turns an existing cooking job into another meal without asking you to simmer grain after a late training session or before leaving in the morning.
A useful detail
The stated total includes an 8-hour refrigerator rest and assumes cooked, cold barley is ready. A same-day version can be mixed and eaten immediately with cold cooked barley; it will be looser and the grains more distinct.
Another way
- Use 300 g pitted nectarines or diced ripe pear instead of peaches.
- Replace barley with 200 g cooked and chilled farro; keep the same yogurt mixture, but note that the grain texture and nutrition will change.
Keep it well
Use barley cooked within the previous day for this overnight preparation, and eat the assembled mixture within 2 days. Keep at 40°F/4°C or below. Cooked barley must have been refrigerated in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Transport breakfast with two cold sources and add freshly cut fruit when practical.