This easy Barley Salad Recipe makes best fiber-rich, plant-powered salad that works for meal prep, potlucks, and packed lunches. With chewy pearl barley, crunchy veggies, and a zesty maple Dejon dressing, it’s as versatile as it is satisfying.
Barley has a delightfully chewy texture and mild nutty flavor. I love cooking with barley as a satisfying wholesome grain. This bountiful pearl barley salad is filling and hearty. And the best part ? It uses all of easily available fresh produce.
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We also love bright, bold and stunning salads a whole lot in my house. Quick Orzo Pasta Salad, Wild Rice Pilaf Salad or Black Beans and Corn Salad are our family favorites.
As with any salad, there are millions of ways to make it your liking. I am listing what I typically use. Feel free to make it to your choice.
Ingredients
Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's a quick overview.
Cooked Barley - adds a wholesome depth of texture and body to the salad. It also makes the salad a satisfying meal. I am using bulk cooked pearled barley
Fresh Veggies - cucumber, tomato, radishes and red onion. You can use your favorite veggies.
Capers - add wonderful salty, briny and pungent bite and a whole lot of tangy flavor.
Walnuts - Adding walnuts makes it further satisfying. It adds a nice bite and heart healthy fats. You can substitute other nuts, or seeds per your liking so skip it all together.
Dejon mustard vinaigrette - Bright and tangy, it ties the whole salad together! Uses Dejon mustard, maple syrup, red wine vinegar ( or lemon juice), olive oil along with salt and pepper.
Variations
Few ideas to change up the dinner salad game.
Switch the grain - instead of barley, use couscous, quinoa, wild rice or orzo type small pasta.
Dressing change - Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing, Pesto without pine nuts or Creamy Ranch will work great.
Vegetables - add more greens, artichokes, broccoli florets or grilled zucchini, mushrooms.
Add cheese - I am keeping it on the light side but you can add parmesan, mozzarella chunk, crumble of feta or goat cheese. Choose plant based cheese to keep it vegan.
How to make barley salad
1: Cook the Barley
- Rinse 1 cup of pearl barley.
- Boil in 3 cups of salted water or broth.
- Simmer for 25–30 minutes until tender but chewy.
- Drain and cool by spreading on a tray or rinsing under cold water.
For hulled barley (more fiber), increase cooking time to 45–60 minutes.
2: Chop the Vegetables
- Dice all the veggies into bite size pieces.
- Finely chop parsley (or other fresh herbs).
3: Make the Dressing
Whisk together:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 minced garlic clove
- Salt & black pepper to taste
4: Combine & Chill
- Toss barley with veggies and herbs.
- Pour over the dressing and toss well.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Example: For potlucks, serve in a wide, shallow bowl garnished with feta and olives for a Mediterranean flair.
Why You’ll Love This Barley Salad
Barley is an underrated whole grain with a pleasantly chewy texture, a nutty flavor, and impressive nutritional benefits. It’s a great canvas for Mediterranean ingredients, seasonal vegetables, and protein add-ins.
Key Benefits:
- High in fiber and minerals like selenium and magnesium
- Plant-based and budget-friendly
- Ideal for meal prep—gets better as it sits!
- Easily adaptable to Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, or even Indian flavors
Serving Suggestions
- This salad keeps well if you prep it ahead of time, so make it for a healthy lunch or dinner. You can serve this salad with a side of Air Fryer Garlic Toast or Air Fryer Naan Pizza or Fingerling Potatoes.
- Pair it with hearty soups like Creamy Tomato Soup, Potato Soup or Creamy Mushroom Soup for café style salad and soup combo.
- It stays well without a refrigerator for a few hours, so it is perfect for passing at potlucks, picnics, road trips, BBQ and summer cookouts.
Storage, Meal Prep & Make-Ahead Tips
- Fridge Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Make-Ahead: Make dressing separately and combine before serving for maximum crunch.
- Freezer Tip: Freeze cooked barley in zip bags for future use.
- Meal Prep: Portion into lunch containers with toppings separate.
Pro Tips to make Best Barley Salad
- Let the barley cool down completely before adding in the salad.
- If you want to meal prep, keep the dressing separate and add before serving.
- If you are using regular tomatoes and cucumbers, discard the seeds and water as much as possible.
- If the salad seems dry after a day, refresh with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
❓FAQs About Barley Salad Recipe
Barley is highly nutritious wholesome grain. One cup of cooked pearled barley (about 157g) has 193 calories, 3.6g of protein, 44.3g of carbohydrates, 6g of fiber. Read all the healthy benefits of eating Barley here. For this recipe I am using Quick Pearled Barley.
No. Barley is not a gluten free grain. So this salad is not suitable if you are following a gluten free diet. Sub with quinoa or millet for a gluten-free option.
Barley freezes well. SO you can make a big batch and use it multiple times or in meal preps. Let it cool down. Portion it into freezer-safe containers or zip-lock and freeze it. That way, you have it handy for quick meals.
Put 1 cup of barley, 2 cups water , 1 teaspoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt in a stackable container ( separate from main insert) Put 1 cup of water in the main steel insert and put the trivet. Put the barley container on the trivet and close the lid with valve sealed.
Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. After it is done cooking, wait for 5 minutes and release the pressure. Open the lid. Fluff the barley with the fork. Cooked barley is ready to use.
Yes, but note that hulled barley is less processed and takes about twice as long to cook. It also has a chewier texture and slightly nuttier flavor. It's more nutritious but takes patience!
★ If you make this Barley Salad with Vegetables Recipe , do let us know how you like it by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Barley Salad Recipe with Maple Dejon Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 cup cooked pearled barley
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped radishes
- ½ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup capers remove the brine
- ¼ cup Dijon Maple Vinaigrette
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
to make Dijon Maple Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook barley in salted water according to the package instructions. Use pre-cooked barley for quick meal.
- Chop all the vegetables. Whisk the dressing ingredients.
- Place chopped vegetables, capers and walnuts in a large bowl, add cooked barley and dressing. Mix and toss well to combine.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or other fresh herbs. Serve immediately.
Notes
Cooking Pearled barley on stove top
Bring 3 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add 1 cup barley. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 25 minutes or until the barley is tender. Drain any liquid and cool completely.Cooking Pearled Barley In Instant Pot
Put 1 cup of pearled barley, 2 cups water , 1 teaspoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt in a stackable container ( separate from main insert) Put 1 cup of water in the main steel insert and put the trivet. Put the barley container on the trivet and close the lid with valve sealed. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. After it is done cooking, wait for 5 minutes and release the pressure. Open the lid. Fluff the barley with the fork. If you notice too much liquid, drain it out using colander. Cooked barley is ready !Homemade Salad Dressing
I use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, grainy Dijon mustard, pungent red wine vinegar and pure maple syrup to balance the acidity. Add a dusting of salt and pepper. The key to emulsify the dressing perfectly is to slowly add olive oil while whisking. So mix all other ingredients well. Then slowly pour olive oil while you are still whisking.Nutrition
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Pattie K.
Dee-licious! I tried this salad using roasted grape tomatoes and zucchini and got rave reviews. I made a half recipe o the dressing and still had more than enough for another salad. The recipe is very versatile…definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing it!