Description
A fresh, hearty, and flavorful Mediterranean barley salad packed with whole grains, chickpeas, vegetables, and a zesty lemon dressing. Perfect for meal prep, lunch, a side dish, or potlucks.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked barley
- 1 can (15-19 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 clove garlic, grated or crushed
- 1 tsp Dijon or grainy mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook barley according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water to cool.
- While barley is cooking, combine chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives, sun-dried tomatoes (optional), parsley, and dill in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, Dijon, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
- Add cooled cooked barley to the bowl along with the dressing and mix well.
Notes
- Makes approximately 8 cups of salad, or roughly 5 servings of 1.5 cups. Increase to 4 servings of 2 cups for a large meal.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Not suitable for freezing.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute quinoa or brown rice for barley.
- Add grilled chicken, salmon, or tofu for extra protein.
- Swap parsley for basil if you prefer a sweeter flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 358 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 237 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 13 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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