Mediterranean Barley Salad

1. 1
   boil · ~30 min

   Cook the pearl barley.

   1.Rinse barley under cold water and drain.

   2.In a saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and 0.25 tsp salt to a rolling boil.

   3.Add barley, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender but chewy (25-30 min).

   4.Drain any excess water and let the barley cool to room temperature.

   TIPSpread cooked barley on a baking sheet to cool faster — hot barley wilts the herbs.
2. 2
   prep · ~10 min

   Chop the vegetables and herbs.

   1.Halve the cherry tomatoes.

   2.Seed the cucumber and dice into small cubes.

   3.Finely chop the red onion.

   4.Roughly chop the parsley and mint leaves.

   5.Halve the kalamata olives and crumble the feta cheese.
3. 3
   mix · ~2 min

   Make the lemon-oregano dressing.

   1.In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, and a pinch of salt.

   2.Add a pinch of black pepper and whisk again until emulsified.

   TIPWhisk vigorously until the dressing looks cloudy — that means it's properly emulsified.
4. 4
   assemble · ~3 min

   Toss the salad.

   1.In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled barley, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and olives.

   2.Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly.

   3.Fold in the parsley and mint, then crumble feta cheese on top.

   4.Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice or black pepper if needed.

   TIPFor best flavor, let the salad sit for 10 minutes before serving so the barley absorbs the dressing.
5. 5
   serve

   Serve at room temperature or chilled.

   Transfer to a serving bowl or plate individually. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, making it perfect for meal prep.

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