“A familiar story, I bought some bulk barley from Pedrick’s Produce and needed to find a way to use it all. I love a good Greek salad, and this could be made without the barley and be fantastic as well. But I like the extra bulk the barley gives it to make it feel like more of a lunch salad as opposed to a side dish. Serve it with a side of Hummus or Tzatziki and some naan, pita or homemade flatbread. Of course, to make a more authentic Greek salad, use the kalamata olives. I tend to use regular black olives because I haven’t yet developed a taste for the stronger kalamata olives.” – April Ferre
Barley Greek Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Pearl Barley
- 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes Halved
- 1 Large Cucumber Diced Large
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper Diced Large
- 1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives Pitted
- – Or 1 15-Ounce Can Black Olives
- 8 Ounces Feta Cheese Crumbled
- 1/2 Cup Pine Nuts Toasted
- 1 Large Shallot Minced
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Mint Chopped
- 1/3 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Instructions
- Add barley to boiling water, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes, adding more water as necessary. Drain in a colander and let cool.
- Combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, feta, pine nuts, shallot, and mint in a large bowl. Add cooled barley and stir to combine.
- Whisk together red wine vinegar and olive oil in a separate small bowl. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
It is best to make the barley salad at least 3 hours ahead of time so that the flavors have time to mingle.
2013 Modified Recipe – April Ferre – From www.foodnetwork.com, Recipe courtesy The Neelys