A simple whole grain salad or pilaf made with barley, tomatoes, bell peppers and feta cheese in a simple dressing. Skip the feta for a vegan salad. If you don’t have one of the ingredients on hand, such as the olive or the bell pepper, this salad will still be delicious.
Many Greek salad recipes call for artichoke hearts, cucumbers or green onions, so feel free to add those in too
Ingredients
1 cup pearl barley
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, or mint, optional
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped, optional
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch kosher salt, or sea salt, to taste
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Ingredients for Greek style barley
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add a half teaspoon of salt.
Add barley, cover, and allow to simmer over medium low heat for about 40 minutes, or until barley is cooked.
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and gently toss with the barley to coat well.
Add red wine vinegar
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
Allow the barley to cool slightly, then add in the red onion, tomato, bell pepper, feta cheese, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley or mint, and oregano.
Season well with oregano and sea salt or kosher salt, and adjust seasonings to taste.
Serve your Greek-style barley salad either chilled or at room temperature. If you’re using this for a nice luncheon, it might be nice to plate it on top of a few butter lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves. Enjoy!
