This barley salad with roasted carrots revitalized my love of grain salads. This simple whole grain salad is made with pearled barley and roasted carrots spiced with cumin, coriander, paprika and turmeric. Which are then tossed with roasted almonds, fresh parsley, pomegranate and feta cheese and a honey-lemon dressing. This recipe is healthy, hearty and easy to make. With the added bonus that it lasts well in the fridge making leftovers a dream.
Choosing the grain from this Barley Salad With Roasted Carrots
Barley is one of my favorite grains to use in salads (or flaked and cooked as morning porridge). It is nutty, tender and chewy and well….simply delicious. Hearty and packed with fiber, it will also keep you fuller throughout the day, while not making you feel weighted down.
I like to use pearled barley which means the bran partially removed, resulting in a quicker cooking time. It is still a healthy ingredient if you prefer your barley this way, but if you want to get the outmost nutrients from your grains than I would recommend using regular barley. Though a little extra time needs to be planned in to soak the grain. For a quicker midweek meal, I usually choice the pearled option.
Looking for other ways to use barley?
How about trying my recipe for barley risotto or this delicious Barley Bowl with Lemon-Spinach Pesto. Otherwise, check out my ingredients page and choose barley to view other tasty recipes using this grain.
Barley Salad With Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 7-8 medium carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal slices (500 g)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds coarsely crushed with pestle and mortar
- 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup pearled barley (200g)
- 2 tablespoons lightly toasted almonds (either whole and chopped or slivered)
- large handful of parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
- crumbled feta, to serve
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (60ml)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Method
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Cook the barley in 3 x water for 30 minutes (according to package instructions). Remove from heat and allow the barley to stand for 15 minutes. If liquid remains, drain the barley in a colander (or use the lid of the pot to strain off any excess moisture).
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Place carrots, olive oil, cumin, coriander, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric in a bowl, season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and mix well.
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Spread out in a single layer on a baking tray and roast for 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender. Set aside to cool.
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To make the dressing, whisk together the lemon jucie ingredients. Pour over the barley, stir in the roasted carrots and any spices from the tray, plus the almonds and parsley. Toss well to combine, add the pomegranate seeds and toss again. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with crumbled feta on top.
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Any leftover salad will keep well in the fridge until the following day, although you may want to add a squeeze of lemon juice to refresh the flavor.
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This dish is delicious warm, at room temperature or cold. I highly recommend serving it with feta cheese, as I think it works perfectly with the other flavors and elevates the salad to the next level of tastiness. 🙂
Notes
- Roast the almonds in a skillet or frying pan for about 5 minutes over medium heat or until they’re golden brown.
- If you don’t have coriander seeds on hand you can substitute 1 teaspoon ground coriander.
- This recipe can easily be made vegan by replacing the honey with maple syrup and omitting the feta cheese.
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