Description
This pear barley salad makes such a refreshing alternative to the typical green side salad. Fresh, crisp, sightly sweet, and nutty!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the barley:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups pearled barley
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 sprigs of thyme (fresh or frozen)
- optional: 1 bay leaf
For the salad:
- 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
- 1 pear, diced and tossed in 1 tbsp lemon juice*
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped*
- 1/8–1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
- optional: 1 tbsp maple syrup to sweeten if a sweeter salad is desired
*Fresh ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
Make Ahead Barley:
- Rinse your barley under cold running water to remove some of the starch.
- In a large pot over medium low heat, add 1 tbsp oil and the pearled barley. Toast for 5-8 minutes until lightly browned and starting to turn slightly opaque.
- Add the water, salt, thyme, and bay leaf if using.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the barley is tender.
- Allow to cool completely.
For The Salad:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. If your walnuts are halved, coarsely chop to make them a little easier to eat. When the oven is hot, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 7-10 minutes until fragrant.
- Dice your pear and coat the pieces in lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Roughly chop your parsley.
- Combine the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
- Add the pear, walnuts, cranberries, and parsley to the cooked (and cooled) pearled barley. Drizzle the dressing over the top, and stir to combine.
- If you’re not serving the salad right away keep the dressing and the walnuts separate. Add them in when ready to serve.
- Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pear will start to brown around the edges but the taste shouldn’t be affected.
Notes
Approximate Cost: CAD $4.34
If using apple cider vinegar for the salad dressing, I find adding a bit of extra lemon juice gives the salad a bit more tanginess. Apple cider vinegar is milder in taste than white wine vinegar.
Feel free to add some maple syrup to the dressing for a sweeter salad. I find the sweetness from the cranberries and pears to be a nice contrast to the barley but feel free to go sweeter all around.
1 cup raw barley will swell to about 3 cups cooked. This recipe as written comfortably serves 6.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American