Barley Salad with Chickpeas
User Reviews
4.5
Barley Salad with Chickpeas
Description
This Barley Salad with Chickpeas brings together nutty cooked barley and firm chickpeas as the base, adding sweet and crisp texture through fresh pear pieces and a small amount reserved to garnish. Sun-dried tomatoes chopped finely add acidity and chewiness, while toasted walnuts contribute crunch and depth. Crumbled feta cheese introduces a creamy, salty element balancing the salad’s natural sweetness and savory notes. Fresh parsley and baby arugula provide herbs and peppery greens enhancing freshness.
The dressing is a combination of minced red onion marinated in apple cider vinegar followed by olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and oregano, seasoned with salt and pepper. Whisking these ingredients together creates a tangy, slightly sweet, and herbaceous dressing that lightly coats the salad ingredients, tying the flavors together. The salad combines cold and cooked components, offering textural contrasts and layered flavor complexity.
This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature, making it convenient for packed lunches or buffet-style meals. Its balance of protein-rich chickpeas and fiber-filled barley delivers sustained satiety. It complements a variety of main dishes or can serve as a meatless option on its own.
Ingredients
- 1 cup barley uncooked
- 1 cup chickpeas cooked
- 2 pear divided
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomato chopped
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- ¾ cup feta cheese
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- 1 handful arugula baby
Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons red onion
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon salt sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black 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
- One cup of uncooked barley yields about three and a half cups when cooked, suitable for this salad's proportions.
- Sun-dried tomatoes used were packed dry, which adds a denser chew and concentrated flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 449 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/4 of recipe | |
| Calories | 449kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 45g | 15% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 15g | 88% |
| Sodium | 489mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 16g | 32% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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