Photo of Barley with butternut squash, apples and onions by WW

Barley with butternut squash, apples and onions

3
Points®
Total Time
50 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Butternut squash doesn't have to be a labor-intensive ingredient. Save time by buying it peeled, seeded and cubed in in your grocery store's produce section or find it frozen in the freezer aisle. This wonderful fall side dish is a welcome addition to any special feast and the perfect way to add symbolic sweetness to your Rosh Hashanah meal. Double or triple the recipe for larger gatherings. Try acorn squash in place of the butternut and a bit of minced rosemary for the thyme for a change of pace.

Ingredients

Table salt

¾ tsp, divided

Uncooked pearl barley

½ cup(s)

Olive oil

1 Tbsp

Uncooked butternut squash

2 cup(s), cubed, diced

Onion

1 cup(s), chopped, chopped

Red bell pepper

½ cup(s), diced

Apple

1 medium, peeled, cored, diced

Jarred minced garlic

1½ tsp

Dried thyme

¾ tsp

Black pepper

¼ tsp

Fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth

cup(s)

Instructions

  1. Bring 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; add barley. Cover saucepan and simmer barley until tender, about 30 to 35 minutes; drain.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add squash, onion and red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are browned and almost tender, about 8 minutes.
  3. Stir in apple, garlic, thyme, black pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until apple is almost tender, about 2 minutes; stir in broth, scraping bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Stir in cooked barley; toss over low heat to mix and coat. Remove from heat and serve. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.