Summer Grain Salad

4.78 from 9 votes

A satisfying and healthy summer grain salad, perfect for cookouts and healthy weekday lunches!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Salads

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 146kcal

Author: Cheryl Bennett

1 cup barley cooked // 240ml
1 cup farro cooked // 240ml
1 cup quinoa cooked //240ml
1 1/2 cups English cucumber diced //360ml
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved or quartered // 480ml
1 cup bell peppers diced // 240ml
1 cup rainbow carrots shredded // 240ml
1/4 cup fresh dill finely chopped // 60ml
1/8 cup fresh chives finely chopped // 30ml
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped // 120ml
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt I use Diamond Crystal, if using table salt or Morton's kosher, reduce by half
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/3 cup red wine vinegar // 80ml
1/4 cup olive oil // 60ml
zest and juice of 1 lemon optional... for extra zing!

Cook grains according to package directions, set aside to cool completely. (Can be done ahead of time)
In a small bowl: mix vinegar, oil, salt & pepper together and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix grains with vinaigrette until thoroughly combined. (If making ahead, stop here. Then proceed to step 4 when you are ready to serve.)
Fold in vegetables and herbs until evenly distributed.

While your grains are cooking, chop up the veggies and herbs. As they are cooking and cooling, you are getting all the vegetables prepped and ready to toss in.
Use what you have. Freekeh, brown rice, wheatberries, and amaranth are all great options.
Time-saving tip: Batch cook grains and freeze some for future use. You can add grains to soups, green salads, making stuffed peppers or making more grain salads.
Making this salad in the fall? Swap out the summer produce for fall produce. Things like squash, root vegetables, etc. fit well here. Swap out dill for thyme or rosemary.
No red wine vinegar? Swap it out for apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar.