Pearl Barley Salad
This pearl barley salad recipe is made with green beans, chickpeas, feta and dill for a delicious Mediterranean twist. It’s perfect for picnics and potlucks and makes a hearty meal prep lunch!
There’s nothing like a good grain salad for lunch on busy days. They’re nice and hearty, packed with veggies, and they keep me satisfied until dinner.
Normally my go-to is farro salad, but this Pearl Barley Salad has found a spot in the rotation.
As much as I love barley in my favorite mushroom barley soup, surprisingly I’d never tried it in a grain salad like this sooner. It makes this Mediterranean barley salad very hearty, but the flavors make it fresh and light at the same time.
This recipe is simple, and it’s proof that sometimes simple is best.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This pearl barley salad is wholesome, satisfying and packed with nutritious ingredients.
- It’s bursting with the fresh flavors of the Mediterranean.
- It’s very easy to make and is easily customized using what you have on hand.
- It keeps well in the fridge, making it a good option for your weekly meal prep.
Recipe ingredients
Barley gives this salad its heartiness, and it’s loaded with fiber and nutrients that help you feel full. It’s got a nice chewy texture and nutty flavor, and it’s a bonus that it also happens to be heart-healthy.
Ingredient notes
- Pearl barley. Cook the barley according to the instructions on the package.
- Fresh green beans. Substitute with canned or whatever veggies you have on hand.
- Feta cheese. The feta adds a lovely saltiness to the salad. It may be subbed with goat cheese or parmesan.
- Fresh dill. If you have no dill on hand, substitute with your favorite herb.
- Chickpeas. The chickpeas add protein and make this salad even more satisfying. They may be substituted with your favorite beans.
How to make this recipe
This is pearl barley salad is an easy recipe that requires minimal hands-on prep work. Plus, it can be made in advance!
Pro tip: You may also cook the green beans in the microwave. Simply place in a microwave-safe bowl with about 1/4 cup water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cook for 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender.
- Cook the barley according to package instructions.
- While the barley is cooking, place the green beans in a large pot of boiling water. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes. Rinse in cold running water to stop the cooking process.
- Add the drained green beans, chickpeas, feta, dill, lemon juice, and the olive oil with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir gently to combine, adding more olive oil if the salad seems dry.
FAQ’s
Store leftover pearl barley salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Of course! This is a great clean out the fridge type of recipe. Use any fresh vegetables you have on hand.
Yes, the barley can be replaced with your grain of choice. Quinoa, wild rice or farro are all great options.
What to serve with this recipe
This is one of the best barley salad recipes because it’s great as a side dish served with grilled meats, or perfect served as a vegetarian meal.
If serving as a side dish, here are some main dishes you can pair it with:
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: You may also cook the green beans in the microwave. Simply place in a microwave-safe bowl with about 1/4 cup water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cook for 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender.
- If you’d like to use a homemade dressing for this recipe, my Greek salad dressing or homemade Italian dressing would be perfect.
- This salad keeps well for 3-5 days, but you will need to add more olive oil as the barley absorbs the oil as it sits.
- You can serve this salad warm or cold. It’s delicious both ways!
More grain salads:
- Black rice salad
- Butternut squash quinoa salad
- Southwestern barley salad by Chew Out Loud
- Wild rice salad
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Pearl Barley Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl barley cooked according to package instructions
- 1 pound fresh green beans washed, trimmed, and cut into 2″ pieces
- 15 ounces chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 4 ounce container crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- 2 lemons juiced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- While the barley is cooking, place the green beans in a large pot of boiling water. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes. Place in a colander and rinse with cold running water to stop the cooking process and drain well.
- Place the pearl barley, green beans, chickpeas, feta, dill in a large bowl.
- Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and stir gently to combine, adding more olive oil if the salad seems dry. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: You may also cook the green beans in the microwave. Simply place in a microwave-safe bowl with about 1/4 cup water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cook for 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender.
- If you’d like to use a homemade dressing for this recipe, my Greek salad dressing or homemade Italian dressing would be perfect.
- This salad keeps well for 3-5 days, but you will need to add more olive oil as the barley absorbs the oil as it sits.
- You can serve this salad warm or cold. It’s delicious both ways!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
30 Comments on “Pearl Barley Salad”
thank you, Sherri! I happily ate this for lunch all week. Instead of dreading leftovers I dread when these leftovers are gone!
If this post reflects how you have been eating then you are one healthy gal. This looks great! Pinned.
Oh, Jocelyn, I’m trying to be extra healthy after the holidays! This was a start, and thank you for the pin my friend! 🙂
I love this salad, Marcie! I have a similar favorite salad and the pearl barley/chickpea/feta combo is divine…I especially love the chewy barley. I love a salad with substance and some staying power and this looks like it fits the bill 🙂
Thank you, Denise! This definitely had staying power…and this salad will be staying in the rotation too. I can’t seem to get tired of it!
Dishes like this are just what I need right now, Marcie! Fresh, flavorful, and light! I find myself craving simple flavors so your dressing with lemon juice, OO, salt and pepper sounds perfect!
Thank you, Alyssa! One can never go wrong with these simple, fresh flavors for sure. And I need to eat plenty more healthy meals like this after my December.
What a beautiful and delicious salad! I’ve had wayyy too many holiday treats and this looks like the perfect light meal. Love all of the flavors in this too. Beautiful pictures!
Thank you so much, Danielle! I’ve been eating way more salad to make up for all the holiday food, so I hope I’m making some headway!
Marcie, this looks so good and I should make some to bring for my work lunch! Great flavors! Pinned! Oh and yes, less is more!
Thanks, Deb! And it made the best lunches!
This salad looks so delicious and filling. I love a simple dressing. Who needs super complicated, right? I’m thinking this would be a great lunch to take to work. Pinning
Happy New Year, Juliana, and thank you! Pearl barley has become a staple here in the past year. 🙂
This looks amazing! I love chickpeas so much and I’ve never tried pearl barley 🙂
What a flavorful and healthy salad! This is the kind of salad I would make a HUGE batch of, then eat it for the whole week for lunch. Beautiful!
Thank you, Natalie, and that’s precisely what I did! I ate this for lunch 4 days straight and never got tired of it! 🙂
Love how simple and fresh this salad is. Pearl barley is wonderfully filling and hearty! Your pictures turned out wonderfully and that fresh dill not only looks pretty, it must add tons of flavor. 🙂
Thank you, Christin! Barley is so nice and hearty, and this was one filling salad. You’re so right about the dill…tons of flavor! 🙂
This salad looks so perfect, Marcie! I’m all about salads that are light and contain chick peas. I love the addition of barley! Definitely sets it apart from other salads. And your pictures are so gorgeous, too. Pinned!
Thank you for the sweet comment, Gayle! The barley really makes this more of a meal, and I’m with you on the chickpeas…they’re so delicious. 🙂
This is exactly the kind of meal I’m craving these days too! Love this flavorful and hearty grain salad, Marcie! It looks fabulous and the fresh dill and crumbled feta sound amazing with everything in here!
Thank you, Kelly! This salad has been my lunch the last several days and now I’m sorry it’s gone! 🙁
Oh wow – I saw this image on pinterest, and immediately knew it was something I would love. I’ve been using pearl barley in all sorts of ways lately, but with this bright lemon flavor and feta – yum!! Great recipe and beautiful photos!
Thank you so much, Jess! I too love pearl barley, and the lemon and feta just livened it up so nicely! 🙂
Oh how I love a good grain salad! This is so my kind of meal – it looks fantastic Marcie! And all that fresh dill – love love!!
I could virtually live off this (and kind of have been) haha. Thanks, Ashley! 🙂