Easy Barley Salad with Chickpeas
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Last updated on Jun 05, 2024
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This barley salad is packed with chickpeas, walnuts, sun dried tomatoes, parsley and pears. It’s such a flavorful combo and is perfect for meal prep and potlucks.
When it comes to grain-based salads I tend to gravitate towards my mediterranean rice salad and quinoa salad (not technically a grain, but I think of it as one). That said, I recently started using barley to make a grain-based salad and it might just be my new fave!
Table of Contents
The barley salad I’m sharing today is loaded with so many delicious (and healthy) ingredients. In addition to the barley, there are chickpeas, toasted walnuts, tangy feta and arugula, so it kind of has a Mediterranean vibe. I’ve also added pears in there for a bit of sweetness. Everything is tossed in an apple cider vinegar dressing which definitely takes this salad to another level. Truth be told, the first time I made it, I ate it for breakfast and lunch the next day… I couldn’t get enough!
The reason I love grain-based salads is because they are so filling … in the right way! You still get all the benefits of the fruits and veggies packed in the salad, but you also get more volume with the grains. As a volume eater, I love eating meals that satisfy me without leaving me feeling bloated or heavy, and this salad does just that.
Cooking Barley for Salads
There are two different types of barley – hulled and pearl. For this salad we’re using pearl barley. It’s a bit more processed, but it’s easier to find at grocery stores and it also cooks faster than hulled.
In general, barley is cooked similarly to farro. You add the grains and water (or stock) to a saucepan, bring to a boil and then cover and lower to a simmer. If you use pearl barley, it will cook quicker (about 25 minutes) than hulled barley (about 40 minutes). You’ll know the barley is done when it has increased in size and is soft and chewy. You can add more water as it cooks if needed. Feel free to cook to your desired texture! You can either let the barley absorb all of the water in the pot or drain out the excess.
When cooking barley for a salad I like to rinse the barley with cold water right after it’s done cooking. This cools it off, rinses away the released starch and keeps it from continuing to cook. The starch it releases into the cooking liquid makes it a great thickener for soups or even barley risotto.
Pear Barley Salad Ingredients
- barley
- chickpeas
- walnuts
- pears
- sun dried tomatoes
- feta
- parsley
- arugula
I also make a vinaigrette dressing that I highly recommend pairing with this salad! For the dressing you need red onion, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt and pepper. So simple and so delicious!
Meal Prep Barley Salad
Customize This Salad!
You can absolutely customize this salad based on your personal preference or what’s available to you at the time. If pears aren’t in season, apples would make a great substitute. Don’t have chickpeas? Use a different bean. Only have spinach on hand? That is the perfect swap for arugula! Don’t have barley? Use a different grain! I think brown rice or farro would also be delicious in this salad. Let me know in the comments if you try any of these swaps.
More Salads You Might Enjoy
- Quinoa Salad with Kale and Sweet Potatoes
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad
- Mediterranean Farro Salad
- Quinoa Spinach Salad
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Barley Salad with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked barley*
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- 2 pears, divided
- ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- ¾ cup feta
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 handful baby arugula
Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons red onion
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook barley according to package instructions. Drain.
- Toast walnuts in a small skillet. This should only take 5-6 minutes. Let cool.
- Start dressing by adding minced onion in a small bowl with the vinegar. Let marinate while you prep the salad.
- Chop 1 1/2 pears and save remaining half for fanning and decorating salad.
- Add cooked barley, chickpeas, pears, sun dried tomatoes, walnuts, arugula, parsley and feta into a large bowl.
- Add oil, maple syrup, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper into the bowl with the vinegar and red onion. Whisk until combined. Pour dressing over salad mixture and toss to coat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Notes
- 1 cup of uncooked barley will yield about 3 1/2 cups cooked barley.
- I used dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Crunchy pears are unripened pears, which don’t take like the beauties that pears are. You might as well use celery or cucumbers or radishes.
I have to say I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did! I’ve recently started a cholesterol-lowering diet so I made this without the feta to make the most of all the goodness without the extra fat, and it was still great! Definitely a keeper. Thank you!
Ah yay! I am happy to hear that you are loving this recipe, Lew. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I so appreciate it.
I’ve made quite a few grain bowls and this one is now my favorite. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to try it with pears yet, but I’m sure it’s a delicious addition. Today I added slightly cooked fresh green beans and some chicken breast – so yummy. Dressing is key to making this so good.
Oh yay! So glad you’ve been loving this bowl, Ev. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This was great. The dressing was absolutely delicious. A tad too sweet for me so next time I will cut the maple syrup in half. A keeper!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sandy! Thank you for leaving a comment and review, I so appreciate it!