Crunchy, Colorful and Nutritious Barley Salad Recipe (Full of Veggies)

This barley salad is another one of our favorites because it is filling, healthy, and grain-based.

Barley Salad crunchy, vibrant, and filling superfood grain is crammed with fresh vegetables and a tangy dressing!

Barley is readily available, reasonably priced, and has a light nutty flavor. It can be served hot or cold and pairs well with a wide variety of dishes.

Ingredients

VEGETABLES With tangy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, vibrant bell peppers, and fragrant red onions, this barley salad is a twist on our go-to Greek salad dish.

OLIVES For a flavorful punch, we add tart kalamata olives; but, if you want, you can use black olives.

CHEESE In this recipe, the feta cheese lends a lovely salty flavor.

Variations

This barley salad in the Mediterranean style can be eaten for a week in one batch! In your fridge, don’t be scared to mix and match ingredients.

This salad tastes great with olive oil, vinegar, and lemon, or you can season it with a straightforward Greek salad dressing. It pairs well with virtually any vinaigrette.

How Can Barley Salad Be Made?

Making a great, nutritious barley salad is quite simple.

1. In salted water, prepare barley as directed in the recipe below.
2. Chop Veggies.
3. Completely drain and chill the barley. Spread out the barley on a sheet pan and put it in the freezer for a few minutes to fast cool it.
4. In a large bowl, combine barley, chopped veggies, and dressing.
5. Feta cheese and chopped parsley are used as a garnish. Serve right away.

Tips for Storing Barley

Uncooked barley should be kept in a tightly closed bag or container and kept in a cool, dry location, such as a pantry.
Barley salad can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 7 days by placing it in a jar with a tight-fitting cover.

Barley Salad

A vibrant, enjoyable variation on Greek salad is this salad!

Ingredients

• 1 cup pearl barley
• 3 cups water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
• 1 cup cucumber diced
• ¼ cup red onion diced
• 1 bell pepper diced, any color
• ⅓ cup kalamata olives or black olives
• ¼ cup feta cheese
• 1 cup Greek salad dressing or Italian dressing
• fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Salt water and bring to a boil. Barley should be added once the heat has reduced to a simmer. Barley has to cook for 25 minutes or till soft. Drain all liquid, then totally cool.
2. Vegetables should be chopped and put in a big bowl while the barley is cooking.
3. Barley and dressing should be added after it has cooled. Mix thoroughly by tossing.
4. Feta cheese and parsley are used as a garnish. One hour before serving, chill.

Notes

If you don’t have Greek salad dressing, a couple of teaspoons of olive oil, two tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and a squeeze of lemon, salt, and pepper are wonderful for this salad.

For up to seven days, keep leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Nutrition information

Calories: 559 | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 1298mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1369IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg