Wheat Berry Salad
Notes
Cooking for a Crowd
Recipe Notes
- Wheat berries are whole kernels of wheat. There are many different kinds of wheat that are sold in grocery stores. Try looking for soft white or hard red wheat berries. Farro, spelt, Kamut®, and freekeh are all kinds of whole wheat kernels. Whole grain barley is also an excellent choice in this recipe.
- To use other grains, substitute 2 cups cooked grain for the wheat berries and skip step 1. Follow package directions for the cooking time and amount of liquid needed for each grain.
Ingredients
1 cup dry wheat berries (about 7 ounces)
1 ¼ cups carrots, peeled and diced
1 ¼ cups red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 2 small peppers)
1 cup celery, diced
½ cup green onions, sliced
¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
- Place dry wheat berries in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer for 1 hour, or until the wheat berries are tender but still chewy. Drain the cooked wheat berries and rinse with cold water. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, onions and parsley to the wheat berries in the mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the rice vinegar, water, vegetable oil, garlic powder and salt. Pour dressing over the salad and mix until salad is well coated.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Wheat berries are whole kernels of wheat. There are many different kinds of wheat that are sold in grocery stores. Try looking for soft white or hard red wheat berries. Farro, spelt, Kamut®, and freekeh are all kinds of whole wheat kernels. Whole grain barley is also an excellent choice in this recipe.
- To use other grains, substitute 2 cups cooked grain for the wheat berries and skip step 1. Follow package directions for the cooking time and amount of liquid needed for each grain.
Comment
This is a nice, large salad that is perfect for a potluck or large family dinner. Very filling and colorful. I would highly recommend allowing this recipe to sit for several hours or even overnight. I found the flavors were much better the second day. I used hard red wheat berries. They cook more evenly if you let them soak for a while before cooking. Also - I like substituting orange juice for part of the vinegar in the dressing to add a little sweetness. Thanks!