Best Barley Salad Recipes

BARLEY CORN SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lemon juice, oil, salt, thyme and pepper; shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Freeze option: Prepare salad without onions and cilantro. Transfer to freezer containers; freeze. To use, thaw completely in refrigerator. Gently stir in onions, cilantro and a little oil if necessary.

BEAN & BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare barley according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the beans, corn, red pepper, onions and cilantro. , In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Chill until serving.

MEDITERRANEAN BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Bring barley and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the barley is tender, but still slightly firm in the center, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature in a bowl.
• Puree the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a blender until smooth. Pour over the barley. Fold in the cilantro, olives, and remaining olive oil until blended. Cover, and refrigerate until cold. Stir before serving.

BARLEY LIME FIESTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring the barley and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and chill in refrigerator.
• In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked barley, black beans, green and red bell pepper, corn, celery, red onion, carrot, chipotle pepper, 1 tablespoon of canola oil, salt, black pepper, and cumin until thoroughly mixed.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, corn syrup, 1 tablespoon of canola oil, lime juice, lemon juice, cilantro, white vinegar, and onion powder; pour dressing over barley mixture, and toss to combine. Refrigerate salad until cold.

MUSHROOM BARLEY AND ROASTED ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• Put the barley in a medium pot with water to cover by a few inches and salt it generously. Tie the thyme sprigs, parsley stems, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot, along with the lemon peel. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and remove the herbs and lemon.
• Meanwhile, toss the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl. Whisk the remaining lemon juice with the mustard, remaining salt, and pepper, to taste, in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make a smooth, slightly thick vinaigrette. Add the shallots.
• Toss the mushrooms, barley, and the dressing together. Stir in the chopped herbs. Set aside at room temperature for about 1 hour for the flavors to come together.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the spears in a single layer in a shallow baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roll to coat thoroughly. Roast the asparagus until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes, giving the pan a good shake about halfway through.
• Spread the roasted asparagus on a serving platter. Spoon the barley salad on top and serve.
• Per Serving: Calories: 258; Total Fat: 14 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 7 grams; Total carbohydrates: 29 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber: 8 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 689 milligrams

BARLEY GREEK SALAD

Steps:

• Combine the barley, 3 cups water and a pinch salt in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain in a colander and let cool.
• Combine the tomatoes, feta, olives, mint, bell pepper and shallots in a bowl. Add the cooled barley.
• Whisk together the red wine vinegar and olive oil in a separate small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Dress the salad and toss. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

BARLEY, CORN, AND CHERRY TOMATO SALAD WITH BASIL DRESSING

Steps:

• In a kettle bring 10 cups water to a boil, stir in the barley and the salt, and simmer the barley, covered, for 40 minutes, or until it is tender. Drain the barley in a colander, rinse it under cold water, and drain it well. In a blender blend the vinegar, the basil, the oil, and salt to taste until the dressing is emulsified. In a very large bowl toss the barley with the dressing and the corn and stir in the tomatoes gently. Chill the salad, covered, for 1 hour. The salad may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT AND BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Roast eggplant and zucchini:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
• Toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then spread in 2 oiled large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pans. Roast vegetables in oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes total. Combine vegetables in 1 pan and cool, reserving other pan for cooling barley.
• Cook barley:
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallion, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add barley and cook, stirring until well coated with oil, 2 minutes more. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all of liquid is absorbed and barley is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to reserved shallow baking pan and spread to quickly cool, uncovered, to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Make dressing and assemble salad:
• Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add barley, roasted vegetables, and remaining ingredients to bowl with dressing and toss until combined well. Serve with cheese slices.

VEGGIE BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the broth, water and barley to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until barley is tender. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes., In a large bowl, combine the tomato, zucchini, yellow pepper and parsley. Stir in barley. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, water, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper. Pour over barley mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in almonds.

BARLEY SALAD WITH CHICKEN AND CORN

Steps:

• In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook barley according to package instructions. Drain and let cool.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place scallions and corn on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• In a large bowl, combine barley, roasted vegetables, tomatoes, parsley, chicken, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon lime juice; season with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss spinach with 1 tablespoon oil and 2 teaspoons lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve spinach with chicken-barley mixture.

WARM ROASTED CARROT AND BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees and place a rack on the lowest shelf. In a medium saucepan, combine barley with 4 cups water; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. If the barley hasn't absorbed all of the water, drain off the excess.
• Meanwhile, place the carrots on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat, spreading into an even layer. Season with salt and pepper. Place on the bottom oven rack and roast until tender and starting to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss and return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes until completely tender.
• While the carrots roast, make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, ras el hanout, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is smooth and has a pourable consistency.
• When the carrots are ready, remove them from the oven, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with lemon zest. Season with a pinch of salt and toss to coat.
• In a serving bowl, combine the carrots with the barley, arugula and parsley. Drizzle with the spiced tahini and sprinkle with almonds.

BARLEY, SHRIMP, AND CORN SALAD

Steps:

• Combine barley and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for approximately 35 minutes.
• Transfer barley to a large bowl, and toss with shrimp, corn, bell peppers, green onions, thyme, and lemon zest.
• In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over barley salad, and toss to combine.

BARLEY AND HERB SALAD WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat a 3- quart saucepan over medium-high heat and add barley. Toast in the pan, shaking pan or stirring grains until they begin to smell a little bit like popcorn. Add water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste (I suggest 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon for 1 cup barley), reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 to 50 minutes, until barley is tender (it will always be chewy). Drain off any liquid remaining in the pot through a strainer (set it over a bowl if you think you might want to use the barley water in a stock or risotto - it'll keep for a day in the refrigerator). Shake strainer and return barley to the pot. Cover pot with a clean dishtowel and return the lid. Allow barley to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roast asparagus and make dressing. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Snap off woody ends of the asparagus and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Add olive oil and salt and pepper to taste and toss together until all of the asparagus is coated with oil (I do this with my hands). Make sure that asparagus is in one layer on the baking sheet in the pan and place in oven. Roast for about 12 minutes, or until tender and beginning to shrivel. It should be browned in spots. Remove from heat.
• Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, salt, lemon zest, garlic, and mustard. Whisk in olive oil.
• Transfer cooked barley to a large bowl. Add herbs and vinaigrette and toss together until barley is evenly coated with dressing. Arrange on a platter or on plates. Lay stalks of roasted asparagus on over the top, and serve.

VEGETABLE-BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Thinly slice red onion and toss with vinegar; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add barley. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender and water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Thinly slice kale leaves and add to a large bowl along with cooked barley, red onion mixture, tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and a pinch of kosher salt. Add the olive oil and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Combine the barley, fennel, pine nuts, Parmesan, bacon and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing and stir to combine. Season, to taste, with the salt and pepper. Serve immediately or allow to sit in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour.

TOASTED BARLEY SALAD WITH RED BELL PEPPER, CORN AND GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place barley in heavy large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until pale golden, shaking pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add broth to pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until barley is tender and broth is absorbed, about 35 minutes. Uncover and let barley cool.
• Char poblano and red bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and dice poblano and red bell pepper.
• Place barley, poblano and red bell pepper in large bowl. Add tomatoes and next 5 ingredients; toss to blend. Season salad with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Spray mushrooms with nonstick spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to work surface; slice thinly.
• Arrange 6 spinach leaves on each of 4 plates. Top with barley salad. Arrange 1 sliced mushroom alongside each salad. Serve while mushrooms are still warm.

BARLEY AND CORN SALAD WITH BASIL CHIVE DRESSING

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups water with 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan. Stir in barley, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender, about 10 minutes.
• While barley simmers, blanch corn in a 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-quart saucepan of boiling water 1 minute, then drain in a large sieve and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain again and pat dry, then transfer to a large bowl.
• Remove barley from heat (when tender) and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
• While barley stands, pulse oil, basil, chives, vinegar, sugar, pepper, remaining tablespoon water, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender until herbs are finely chopped.
• Drain barley well in large sieve and add to corn in bowl, then add endives and dressing, tossing to combine.

TOASTED BARLEY SALAD WITH RED BELL PEPPER, CORN AND GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place barley in heavy large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until pale golden, shaking pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add broth to pan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until barley is tender and broth is absorbed, about 35 minutes. Uncover and let barley cool. Char poblano and red bell pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and dice poblano and red bell pepper. Place barley, poblano and red bell pepper in large bowl. Add tomatoes and next 5 ingredients; toss to blend. Season salad with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Spray mushrooms with nonstick spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to work surface; slice thinly. Arrange 6 spinach leaves on each of 4 plates. Top with barley salad. Arrange 1 sliced mushroom alongside each salad. Serve while mushrooms are still warm.

BROWN RICE AND BARLEY SALAD WITH SPROUTED RED LENTILS AND GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• To cook barley, bring 1 quart water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan, add salt to taste and barley. Boil like pasta for 40 to 50 minutes, until tender (some stores now sell par-boiled barley, which takes 15 to 20 minutes - not the 10 minutes that the package says to cook it). Turn off heat, drain, return barley to the pot, cover pot with a towel and return lid. Let sit for 10 minutes or longer.
• While barley is cooking, cook rice in another saucepan. Combine with 1 cup and plus 2 tablespoons water and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until water has been absorbed by the rice. Turn off heat, cover pot with a dish towel and return lid. Let sit for 10 minutes or longer.
• Transfer cooked barley and rice to a bowl (you should have 2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked grains) and toss with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Allow to cool if desired.
• Make dressing. In a bowl or jar, whisk or shake together mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, ground cumin, chili powder, lemon juice, salt, and grapeseed oil. The mixture should be creamy. Taste and adjust salt.
• Combine all of the salad ingredients except the nigella seeds and toss with dressing. Transfer to a platter, a salad bowl or individual plates. Sprinkle nigella seeds over each serving.

WARM CAULIFLOWER AND HERBED BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Place barley in a large saucepan; add water to cover by 2". Season with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 25-30 minutes. Drain; run under cold water. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and 5 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl until emulsified. Season dressing with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cauliflower; cook, turning occasionally, until browned in spots, 10-12 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer cauliflower to a large bowl; add beans, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 tablespoon tarragon, reserved barley, and half of reserved dressing. Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper.
• Divide salad among bowls; drizzle remaining dressing over. Garnish with lemon zest, 1/4 cup parsley, and 1 tablespoon tarragon.