Wheat Berry Salad
Notes
Cooking for a Crowd
Recipe Notes
- Wheat berries are whole kernels of wheat. Many different kinds 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. Many different kinds 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!