Barley Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber and Parsley
Barley salad, loaded with fresh juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and chopped parsley, is a healthy and satisfying summer salad. Serve it as a side dish or a main course salad.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked pearl barley (1 cup dry)
- 2 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, diced
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, more as needed
Instructions
- Cook pearl barley according to package directions. Cool at least one hour or overnight.4 cups cooked pearl barley
- In a large bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed, ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, more as needed
- If necessary, use a fork to fluff up barley and separate pieces. Add to bowl with vinaigrette; stir lightly to combine.
- Add tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley, and mint to bowl; fold in to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.2 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed, diced, 1 English cucumber, diced, ⅓ cup diced red onion, ⅓ cup chopped flat leaf parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use (see note).
Video
Notes
- Grain choices: If you prefer, cook hulled barley instead of pearl barley. Hulled barley is whole grain and has a longer cooking time. Follow package directions. If you're looking for a quicker option, substitute cooked quinoa or couscous.
- Storage: The salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container. If you make this salad ahead, you may need to stir in additional dressing because the barley tends to absorb more dressing as it sits. Another option is to reserve half the dressing and stir it in before serving.
- Optional add-ins: crumbled feta cheese, chickpeas (rinsed and drained), toasted almonds, pine nuts, or pepitas.
- Recipe retested and updated 6/2023.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 226mg | Potassium: 272mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 662IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
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