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Bowl of barley salad with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, herbs, and green onions.

Barley Salad with Herbs, Green Onions, and Lemon Vinaigrette

Chef Jenn
This Barley Salad with Herbs, Green Onions, and Lemon Vinaigrette is one of my favorite dishes to keep on hand when I want something fresh, light, and deeply flavorful. It’s got all the crunch and zest of a great salad, with hearty pearl barley to keep you full. Perfect for make-ahead lunches or easy dinners.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 216 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 3 vegetable broth
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh mint chopped
  • 1 small cucumber diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove finely minced or grated
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cook the barley by bringing water or broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add the barley, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes or until tender but still slightly chewy.
  • Drain any excess liquid and rinse the barley under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Set aside.
  • Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to make the vinaigrette. You can also shake it all up in a jar for convenience.
  • Toss the cooled barley with the green onions, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, parsley, dill, and mint in a large mixing bowl.
  • Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and mix well to coat everything evenly.
  • Chill the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives the flavors time to mingle. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Notes

Chef Jenn's Tips

  • Rinse the barley thoroughly after cooking to keep the salad from becoming gummy.
  • Use fresh lemon juice—bottled won’t give you that same brightness.
  • Make the vinaigrette in advance and keep it in a jar in your fridge—it’s great on any salad.
  • This salad is a great base: add chickpeas, feta, or grilled chicken to turn it into a more substantial meal.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 218mgPotassium: 297mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 879IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.

Keyword Barley salad with fresh herbs, Easy barley salad meal prep, Lemon vinaigrette, Summer salad with lemon dressing
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