You’ve enjoyed barley in soup, but have you discovered the goodness of a barley-based salad? Barley is a sweet and slightly nutty grain with a delightfully chewy texture. In this chopped salad, it’s combined to epic effect with crunchy cucumber, cherry tomato, radish, broccoli and red onion. It’s then drizzled with a dressing made by blending fire-roasted red peppers with red wine vinegar, olive oil and spices for a piquant flavor with a slight smokiness. This standout dish can be made ahead of time – and travels well – so tote it to every picnic and barbeque!
Pearled Barley & Veggie Chopped Salad
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 210 kcal
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup pearled barley
- 4 cups water
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 cucumbers halved lengthwise and sliced into 1-inch pieces
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 6 radishes sliced thin
- 2 cups broccoli blanched, chilled and chopped
- ¼ cup red onion sliced thin
Dressing
- ½ cup roasted red peppers drained and rinsed
- 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½ cup fresh parsley
Optional
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
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In medium-sized saucepan, bring water and salt to boil; add barley. Partially cover saucepan with lid, reduce heat to simmer and cook 30 minutes. (Note: Barley should be al dente. Be careful not to overcook or it will become mushy.)
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Strain barley and rinse with cold water.
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In large bowl, combine barley, cucumber, cherry tomato, radish, broccoli and red onion.
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In blender, combine red peppers, vinegar, oil, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add parsley and blend until parsley is chopped into small pieces.
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Pour dressing over barley and vegetables and stir to combine. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes:
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Add in other seasonal fresh herbs if available, such as basil, thyme and chives.
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To make in advance, prepare barley, vegetables and dressing and keep separate until just prior to serving.
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If leftovers get dry when storing (grains tend to soak up dressings), drizzle with a little olive oil to refresh.
Recipe Notes
Order the great ingredients what you need from Vitacost.com!
Nutrition Facts
Pearled Barley & Veggie Chopped Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 210
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 490mg20%
Potassium 379mg11%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 6g24%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 758IU15%
Vitamin C 39mg47%
Calcium 103mg10%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.