Barley Salad
- Preparing Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours
- Served Person: 6
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup barley
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 cup cucumber diced and peeled
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion diced
- Carbohydrate 32.1374033333333 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.65030666666667 g
- Fiber 6.41033348337809 g
- Protein 4.22502666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.260863333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (175g)
- Sodium 9.503 mg
- Sugar 25.7270698499552 g
- Trans Fat 0.144635 g
- Calories 158 calories
My husband loves salads, especially when he goes to work or we go for a family picnic. I've tried so many salad recipes, and this barley salad is now his favorite. It's so delicious, healthy, and refreshing, perfect for a summer salad.
The best thing about this salad is that it's incredibly easy to make. The most time-consuming part is cooking the barley, which takes about 30-40 minutes. But once the barley is cooked, the rest of the salad comes together in just a few minutes. Simply add your favorite vegetables, and you're good to go!
I love using grape tomatoes, cucumber, basil, and red onion in my barley salad. But you can really add any vegetables you like. Some other great options include bell peppers, carrots, edamame, and corn.
Once you've added your vegetables, toss the salad with a simple vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Then, refrigerate the salad for at least an hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld and the barley to absorb all of the delicious vinaigrette.
Barley salad is a great make-ahead salad. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This makes it a great option for busy weeknights or for picnics and potlucks.
So next time you're looking for a delicious, healthy, and refreshing salad, give this barley salad a try. I promise you won't be disappointed!
Step-by-step
- Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in barley and return to heat. Return to a boil, reduce heat and cover, simmering for 30-40 minutes. Barley will be done when it is tender, but still chewy. Drain remaining liquid and return the barley to the pan. Cover and allow the barley to steam, off the burner, for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. When the barley has steamed, dress it with the olive oil mixture. (Dressing the grain while it is hot will allow it to absorb more of the vinaigrette.)
- Refrigerate overnight, or until completely cool. Add grape tomatoes, cucumber, basil and red onion and toss. Adjust seasonings.
- Six servings, each serving providing one teaspoon of healthy oil.
