BARLEY AND LENTIL SALAD RECIPE
Creamy lentils meets barley in this Lentil Barley Salad recipe! With cherry tomatoes, green beans, red onion, feta, and lemon dressing.
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Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1 cup green lentils
- 8 ounces (about 2 cups) green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
- 1/4 medium red onion, minced
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese,
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan with heavily-salted water and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup barley and 1 cup lentils, stir occasionally to dislodge any lentils that get stuck to the bottom, and cook until al dente, about 20 minutes. Lower the heat a little bit if it looks like the pot is going to boil over. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the 8 ounces chopped green beans and boil until knife tender.
- Meanwhile, combine the 2 cloves minced garlic, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl that you will serve the salad in. While constantly whisking, slowly add the 1/3 cup olive oil until incorporated. Making the dressing right in the salad bowl will mean 1 less bowl for cleaning—yay!
- Once barley and beans are tender, drain thoroughly through a colander and add to dressing while still warm so they soak up as much dressing as possible. Toss to combine, then add the 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, 1/4 red onion, 3/4 cup feta cheese, and 2 tablespoons chopped oregano. Stir gently and taste; adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold.
Notes
- Make-ahead/storage: This salad tastes even better the next day! Keep in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Give a stir before serving.
- Don't Overcook! Lentils and barley should be tender but retain a bit of bite – check for doneness before draining.
- Fresh Herb Options: Swap in your favorites: parsley, cilantro, basil, mint, or a combination for a different flavor profile.
- Types of Lentils: Use green or brown lentils for this recipe. Red lentils will cook down too quickly and become mushy.