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Wheat Berry Salad

Whole grains and fresh vegetables make this salad filling and satisfying.
Cooking for a Crowd

Cooking for a Crowd

Use these recipe sheets to prepare for larger groups:

Kid friendly
Bowl of wheat berries with a colorful vegetable mix.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Makes: 6 Cups
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

1 cup dry wheat berries (about 7 ounces)
1 ¼ cups diced carrot
1 ¼ cups diced red bell pepper (about 2 small peppers)
1 cup diced celery
½ cup sliced green onion
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
½ cup rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
  3. Place dry wheat berries in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a 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.
  4. Add the carrot, celery, bell pepper, onion and parsley to the wheat berries in the mixing bowl.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.

Comments

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!

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