Herbed Barley Roasted Vegetable Salad (Printable Version)

Hearty Mediterranean salad with chewy barley, roasted vegetables, and zesty herb dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup pearl barley
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

04 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
05 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Herb Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
15 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
18 - 1 teaspoon honey
19 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnishes

20 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
21 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F.
02 - Rinse barley under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine barley, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes until tender. Drain excess water and set aside to cool.
03 - Place zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring once, until vegetables are golden and tender. Allow to cool slightly.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, parsley, basil, dill, honey, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - In a large bowl, combine cooked barley, roasted vegetables, and herb dressing. Toss gently until everything is well coated.
06 - Transfer salad to a serving platter or bowl. Top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts if desired. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chewy barley and sweet roasted vegetables create this perfect texture contrast that keeps every bite interesting
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as the flavors meld together
  • The herb dressing is bright and tangy enough to make you forget youre eating something so wholesome
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of spreading the vegetables out on the baking sheet, overcrowding will steam them instead of roast them
  • Let the barley cool slightly before dressing it, otherwise the grains will absorb all the dressing and become soggy
  • The salad needs at least 15 minutes to sit after tossing so the barley can really drink in those flavors
03 -
  • Toasting the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant makes a huge difference
  • Use a microplane to grate the garlic so it dissolves into the dressing instead of leaving chunky bits

Go Back