Barley and Herb Salad (Printer-friendly)

Nutty pearl barley mixed with fresh herbs and vegetables in zesty lemon vinaigrette

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Herbs & Vegetables

04 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
07 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 small cucumber, diced

→ Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add rinsed barley, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender. Drain excess water and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cooled barley with finely chopped parsley, mint, and dill. Add diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and diced cucumber.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until emulsified.
04 - Pour the prepared vinaigrette over the barley and vegetable mixture. Gently toss to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, and tastes even better the next day when the flavors have gotten to know each other.
  • You can prep everything while the barley cooks, so there's never a moment of standing around waiting.
02 -
  • Cold barley salad tastes dramatically different the next day because the grains absorb the dressing and soften slightly; make it ahead if you have time.
  • If your dressing breaks and looks separated, whisk it hard with a fork and it will come back together—or start over with a fresh teaspoon of mustard and whisk the broken mixture into it slowly.
03 -
  • Make double and keep it in the fridge for three days; it becomes a safety net for lunches when you haven't planned ahead.
  • If you're serving this warm or at room temperature at a dinner party, let it sit out for 15 minutes after removing it from the fridge so the olive oil doesn't feel too heavy and the flavors open up.
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