Dairy-Free Barley Salad
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This garden inspired barley bowl is filled with spring produce and a delightful vinaigrette. If time permits, refrigerate it for 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors time to develop. This recipe makes 4 filling vegan lunches or serves 8 to 10 people as a side dish. The nutrition facts are for the meal size portion.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup uncooked pearled barley, rinsed
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
  • 1 cup shredded carrot
  • 1 cup diced red onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped kale leaves
  • ¾ cup raisins
  • 2¼ cups diced cooked sweet potato (see Sweet Potato Note below)
Instructions
  1. Place the water and dry barley in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil. Keep an eye as it can foam up and boil over. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the barley simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the barley is soft, but still has a slight chewy texture. Drain the barley. Return it to the pot, off the heat, and cover. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic salt, and pepper.
  3. Fluff the cooked barley with a fork. Stir in the peas, carrot, onion, kale, and raisins.
  4. Add the vinaigrette to the barley salad and stir well to coat the ingredients.
  5. Gently fold the sweet potatoes into the barley salad.
  6. Serve warm or chill the salad by covering and refrigerating it for 1 hour or more. It will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.
Notes
Sweet Potato Note: You can use leftover cooked sweet potato or cook it fresh. To roast, preheat your oven to 425ºF. Peel and cut a sweet potato into ½-inch pieces. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toss with a small drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. Spread the pieces out so they are not touching. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until soft, but not overly browned. Alternatively, you can pierce the whole sweet potato a few times, and microwave it on high for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on thickness). Let it cool, then cut into ¼ to ½ inch pieces.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ¼ recipe Calories: 514 Fat: 15.5g Saturated fat: 2.2g Carbohydrates: 87.7g Sugar: 28.3g Sodium: 336mg Fiber: 14g Protein: 10.2g
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://godairyfree.org/recipes/dairy-free-barley-salad