Braised Kielbasa with Mushrooms and Barley
A hearty Polish-inspired stew of smoky kielbasa sausages braised with earthy mushrooms and tender pearl barley in a savory broth. This Polish-inspired quick recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, pairs kielbasa sausage, sliced, cremini mushrooms, sliced, pearl barley for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz kielbasa sausage, sliced
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup pearl barley
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
The Dutch oven we’d braise this in → Best Dutch Ovens for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Rinse 1/2 cup pearl barley under cold water and set aside.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium diced yellow onion, 1 diced carrot, and 1 diced celery stalk. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Step 3: Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms to the pot. Cook for 4 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and brown slightly.
- Step 4: Stir in 12 oz sliced kielbasa sausage and cook for 3 minutes until the sausage starts to brown.
- Step 5: Add rinsed pearl barley, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes until barley is tender and liquid has thickened.
- Step 6: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve warm garnished with extra thyme if desired.









