Vegetarian friendly

Mushroom, spinach, and barley casserole with puff pastry

published

Feb 2026

This is a favorite of ours for Fall and Winter months. It is a bit more elegant to serve than the average casserole, and the left-overs heat well in the microwave.

It is hearty and filling, and thanks to the barley it should be a good source of resistant starch when reheated.

A riff on a recipe from Sunset Magazine.
Makes about 10-12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds mixed mushrooms, sliced or cut in chunks
  • 1 cups red wine (optional)
  • 0.5 cups olive oil (or so)
  • 1 dried herbs (thyme, marjoram, cayenne), to your preference
  • 0.5 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1 head garlic, coarsely chopped, divided
  • 1 cups barley
  • 2.5 cups mushroom broth (see note below)
  • 10 ounces jar roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 1 cups pine nuts
  • 1 cups olive tapenade (or so)
  • 10 ounces package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
  • 16 ounces full fat ricotta cheese
  • 10 ounces shredded parmesan cheese (8–12 oz)
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, partly thawed according to directions

Instructions

  1. Make the mushroom broth: Soak 6–8 oz of dried mushrooms in 2.5 cups mushroom broth (see note below) of boiling or near-boiling water for at least a half hour — longer is better for a more richly flavored broth. Porcini mushrooms are very good for this, but other full-bodied mushrooms such as portobello, or a mix, is nice too. Shiitake mushrooms tend to be a little too light in flavor.
  2. Roast the mushrooms: Toss 1.5 pounds mixed mushrooms, sliced or cut in chunks with the 1 dried herbs (thyme, marjoram, cayenne), to your preference, 0.5 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 0.5 cups olive oil (or so), and 1 cups red wine (optional) (if desired), and roast at 350°F for 20 minutes
  3. Combine mushrooms with broth and tapenade: Remove from oven. Pour off the roasting liquid and reserve it, adding it to the dried mushroom broth. Add the rehydrated mushrooms used to make the broth to the roasted mushrooms, then stir in half of the 1 head garlic, coarsely chopped, divided and all of the 1 cups olive tapenade (or so).
  4. Cook the barley: Cook 1 cups barley in the combined 2.5 cups mushroom broth (see note below) until the broth is absorbed and barley is tender. Add the chopped 10 ounces jar roasted red peppers, chopped, 1 cups pine nuts, and the remaining 1 head garlic, coarsely chopped, divided, and stir to combine.
  5. Layer the casserole: In a large casserole dish (e.g. 4.5 quart), layer the mushroom mixture evenly across the bottom. Add half of the 10 ounces package frozen spinach, thawed and drained, then sprinkle half of the 10 ounces shredded parmesan cheese (8–12 oz) over it. Layer the barley and pepper mixture on top. Add the rest of the 10 ounces package frozen spinach, thawed and drained. Layer 16 ounces full fat ricotta cheese evenly over that, then sprinkle with the remaining 10 ounces shredded parmesan cheese (8–12 oz).
  6. Top with puff pastry and bake: Lay 1 sheet puff pastry, partly thawed according to directions on top of the casserole. We usually find that less thawed pastry puffs better. Bake at 350°F until the pastry puffs up and is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

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