Turn on the instant pot and press the sauté function. Add olive oil to the pot and let it heat up for a minute.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauté chopped garlic and onions in the hot oil until they are translucent and fragrant.
1 cup onion, 2 garlic cloves
Add sliced mushrooms, rosemary, Italian seasonings, black pepper, bay leaf, and salt to the pot and cook until they start to soften.
10 ounce white mushrooms, ½ teaspoon pepper powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 bay leaf, salt to taste
Add in the pearl barley and vegetable stock (or cold water). Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
2 ¾ cup vegetable broth, 1 cup pearl barley
Press 'cancel' to stop the sauteing step.
Close and lock the lid of the instant pot. Select manual mode and set the timer for 20 minutes on high pressure.
Once finished, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before using the quick-release method to manually release any remaining pressure.
Open the lid, add lemon juice, and give the risotto a good stir. If you prefer a creamier texture, add in some nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese at this point.
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Serve your Pearl barley risotto hot, garnished with chopped parsley or additional black pepper if desired. This dish is perfect as a main course or served alongside a protein of your choice.
2 tablespoon parsley