Pearl Barley Salad
This is my go-to pearl barley salad with lemon, olive oil, cucumber, tomatoes and herbs—fresh, filling and easy to make ahead.
Ingredients
Directions
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COOK THE BARLEY
- Step 1: Wash the pearl barley in a large bowl of water and drain off any broken bits. Place in a large saucepan with the fresh water and season with salt.
- Step 2: Place over a large heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender, but still has a little bite.
- Step 3: Drain the pearl barley and spread out on a large tray to cool.
PREP SALAD
- Step 1: Finely slice the spring onions and cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters. Slice the cucumber into quarters lengthways and remove the seeds. Dice the quarters roughly.
- Step 2: Juice the lemons and finely chop the parsley.
MIX AND SERVE
- Step 1: Place the barley in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the oil and toss well to coat.
- Step 2: Add the prepped salad ingredients to the bowl and season generously with salt and black pepper. Toss well to combine then serve.
Video
Equipment
- Large saucepan (to cook the pearl barley)
- Colander or sieve (for draining the barley)
- Large mixing bowl (for tossing everything together)
- Large tray or baking tray (to spread and cool the barley)
- Citrus juicer or reamer (for the lemons)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Chef’s knife, chopping board, wooden spoon or spatula
Chef’s Tips
Recipe notes
Cook support
Washing the barley in a large bowl of water before cooking will bring any broken pieces and impurities to the surface, which you should then discard before draining and cooking the barley.
Sourcing
Pearl barley is available from major supermarkets and quality green grocers.
Substitutions
You can use any vegetables you have on hand for this salad, such as capsicum (bell pepper), shallots instead of spring onions, baby spinach or rocket.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Serving ideas
This salad works great alongside some grilled chicken or fish, as a side for your next BBQ, or as a meat-free weeknight meal with some pan fried haloumi.
Cooking tips
- Salt the barley properly. Cook it like pasta and make sure the water is well seasoned so the grain actually tastes like something. If you under-season here, you will be trying to fix it at the end.
- Do not overcook it. You want tender with a little bite. If it goes mushy, the whole salad turns heavy and flat. Start checking it around the 30 minute mark.
- Spread the barley out to cool in a thin layer on a tray. If you leave it sitting in a colander it will steam and keep cooking, which is how you lose that nice chew.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the barley while it is still slightly warm. It absorbs better and gives you a fuller, rounder flavour.
- Season in layers. Salt the cooking water, then season again once everything is mixed. Lemon lifts it, but salt is what makes it pop.
- Taste after adding the lemon. If it feels too sharp, add a little more olive oil to balance it out. You want it fresh and bright, not aggressive.
- You can cook the barley ahead of time, but fold through the herbs and lemon just before serving so everything stays vibrant and fresh.
About this recipe
This is my go-to pearl barley salad when I want something fresh but still filling. It leans on Middle Eastern roots, but I’ve kept it simple with plenty of lemon, good olive oil, and loads of herbs. I cook the barley until it’s tender with a bit of bite, then cool it out so it stays separate and doesn’t clump.
Spring onion, cucumber and cherry tomatoes keep it sharp and clean, while parsley lifts the whole thing. It’s easy to prep, holds well in the fridge, and works well with grilled chicken, fish, lamb, beef or some roast vegetables.
Ingredient Support
Pearl barley - If you’ve never cooked with it, pearl barley is a grain with the outer husk and bran polished off, so it cooks quicker than regular barley. You’ll usually find it in the rice or dried beans section.
Lebanese cucumber - This is the smaller, thinner-skinned cucumber. It’s sweeter, has softer seeds and less water than the big continental ones. If you can’t find it, any cucumber will do, just scrape out the watery seeds so your salad doesn’t turn into soup.
Flat leaf parsley - Flat leaf parsley is fresh, slightly peppery and herbaceous, and different to your curly leaf parsley. If all you can find is curly, it’ll work, but flat leaf gives you that clean, punchy finish.
Extra virgin olive oil - This is one of those recipes where you’ll taste the oil, so use a good one. Extra virgin means it’s cold-pressed and unrefined. It's fruity, grassy, sometimes a little peppery at the back of the throat. It’s not just for cooking; it’s seasoning.
Keywords: Pearl Barley Salad, Lunch, Mediterranean, Rice and Grains, Salad, Lemon, Make Ahead, Easy, pearl barley salad recipe, barley salad with lemon, Mediterranean grain salad, make ahead barley salad, pearl barley with cucumber and tomato, healthy lunch salad, herby grain salad
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