Barley Salad with Roasted Veggies
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A barley salad tossed with roasted colorful peppers and shallots, brightened with lemon juice and fresh herbs. Feta replaced by grilled halloumi for a smoky twist. Sun-dried olives swapped for briny capers. The dish features crunchy arugula and fresh mint for herby freshness. Barley cooked until tender with a hint of toothsome bite. Roasting peppers until charred and soft, smelling sweet caramelized notes. Simple olive oil dressing ties all components. Served cool or room temp. Keeps a few days refrigerated sealed. Mix textures and flavors balancing acidity, salty, sweet, and green herbal notes.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
Servings:
4 servings
#Mediterranean
#salad
#vegetarian
#easy meals
#grilled cheese
#barley
#healthy
Roasting peppers until their skins blister, sweet caramel notes fill the kitchen. Shake tray once or twice; the smell tells you they’re close. Barley boiled just long enough to keep a bite, no mush allowed. Tried this with feta, but grilled halloumi steals the show—smoky, dense, a bite that surprises. Capers swapped in, because those salty pops punch through the mellow grains and soft tomatoes. Mint chopped fine, saved some whole—freshness that cuts summer heat. Tossed everything in lemon and olive oil dressing—balanced, sharp, but not sour. Texture variety is king here; make sure your veggies tender, your greens crisp, your cheese flavorful. A salad you come back to days later and it still sings, thanks to proper layering and just-right acidity.
Ingredients
- 2 mixed-color bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 2 French shallots, thinly sliced
- 60 ml olive oil plus 30 ml for dressing
- 160 g pearl barley
- 50 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 250 g cherry tomatoes halved
- 200 g grilled halloumi sliced
- 100 g arugula roughly chopped
- 50 g capers drained
- 15 g fresh mint chopped plus extra to garnish
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About the ingredients
Bell peppers vary wildly in sweetness and water content. Choose firm, shiny ones. If peppers are large, cut into smaller dice to roast evenly. Shallots add subtle sweetness, don’t crumble or brown too dark or bitterness creeps in. Olive oil quality shows—use bright, grassy. Pearl barley needs rinsing to remove dust; soak for 30 minutes if rushed to soften faster. Tomatoes bring acidity and juiciness—cherry or grape types juicy but hold shape well. Halloumi substitutes: grill thick slices to develop crispy edges, melt a little fat. Capers replace oily olives for salty bursts but rinse well to tame excess saltiness. Fresh mint is fragile—add at last moment. Keep lemon juice freshly squeezed—bottled juice falls flat. Make dressing just before assembling to avoid dull salad. Store leftovers sealed; flavors intensify but mint fades fast.
Method
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 220 °C. Position rack center. Toss diced bell peppers and shallots with 15 ml olive oil on parchment-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 25–30 minutes. Stir once or twice mid-cook. Look for soft skins blistering, slight charring giving that smoky edge. Remove when tender but not mushy. Let cool slightly.
Cooking Barley
- In salted boiling water, cook barley approximately 35 minutes. Start checking for a tender but slightly chewy texture at 30 minutes. Drain and rinse barley under cold water. This halts cooking and chills grains. Don’t skip rinsing. Otherwise, salad turns gummy later.
Mixing and Dressing
- In a large bowl, whisk 30 ml olive oil and lemon juice with salt and pepper. Adjust acidity to your taste; lemon should punch but not overwhelm. Add barley, roasted veggies, halved tomatoes, capers, and arugula. Fold gently to mix without bruising greens.
- Fold halloumi slices in last, to keep some texture. Grilled halloumi brings smoky, firm, slightly squeaky bite contrasting feta's crumbly softness. Keeps well if you want leftovers.
Final Touches
- Add chopped mint, reserve some for garnish. Mint adds a cool aromatic note complementing the warmth of roasted peppers and sharp cheese. Spoon onto plates or store promptly in airtight container. Serve cold or room temp.
Tips and Trouble Shooting
- Bell peppers sometimes toughen if under-roasted; watch for tender flesh and peeling skin bubbles. Shallots should caramelize lightly—not burn—adding sweetness.
- Barley texture is key: chewy but tender, not grainy or mushy. Rinsing helps remove excess starch.
- Substitution notes: Use zucchini in place of one pepper for earthier flavor. Swap halloumi for marinated tofu or grilled eggplant for vegan option.
- If lemons scarce, sumac powder works as tart, otherwise a splash of white wine vinegar in dressing.
- Don’t overdress, keep oil and lemon balanced; salad becomes greasy and loses brightness.
- Mint wilts quickly; add just before serving for freshest punch.
- If salad tastes flat next day, add fresh lemon juice or sprinkle more capers for brightness.
- Halloumi can get rubbery if reheated; better cold leftovers or quickly warmed in pan.
Cooking tips
Roasting peppers should be loud—pop and sizzle as water escapes. Stir halfway to promote even browning and prevent scorching. If skins blacken too much, peel off tough bits after roasting for silky texture. For barley, precise cooking time varies on brand and age; taste frequently near end. Rinse grains well to cool fast and prevent sticking. Dress salad gently; aggressive tossing bruises greens, makes cheese clump. Add halloumi last to maintain texture contrasts. Adjust salt cautiously—capers pack punch. Mint chopped finely releases oils but too much bruises leaves and dampens flavor; tear some leaves whole for garnish to brighten plates visually and flavor-wise. Serve immediately or let chill for 10-15 minutes to meld flavors. Rebalance acidity next day if saved. Don’t over roast halloumi; it toughens and loses creaminess. If pressed for time, cook barley in advance and refrigerate dried; reheat or serve cold without losing texture. Cold salad holds well but add fresh herbs and lemon at serving for punch.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Roast peppers until skins blister and bubble loudly, crisp charring develops small smoky notes. Stir once or twice mid-roast avoid black charred bits but some blackened edges add flavor. Remove when tender yet still holding shape. Shallots caramelize lightly; avoid dark brown or bitter flavor. Use parchment for cleanup and even roasting. Oven temp crucial true 220 Celsius not a guess.
- 💡 Barley cooking times vary by brand and age. Test at 30 minutes for chewiness with slight bite. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and wash starch or risk gummy salad. Don’t skip rinsing step; it affects texture drastically. Soak grains 30 minutes beforehand to speed cook if short on time. Salt water helps flavor but don’t overdo or become salty.
- 💡 Mix dressing fresh with lemon juice and olive oil only just before assembly. Pre-mixing early dulls acidity, oil can overwhelm salad. Season lemon dressing to taste with salt and pepper but balance sharpness carefully. Toss salad gently; bruising greens or over mixing crushes texture contrast. Fold halloumi in last to maintain that firm squeaky bite against softer veggies and grains.
- 💡 Halloumi grilling: thick slices, hot pan, crisp edges. Avoid overheating it cold leftovers preferred or quick pan warm. Can swap halloumi with grilled eggplant or marinated tofu to suit vegan needs. Capers replace oily olives but rinse well to control salt load. Add mint chopped finely just before serving for fresh aromatic punch. Leave some whole for garnish and visual contrast.
- 💡 Storage tricky. Salad holds refrigerated sealed few days but mint fades fast. Add fresh lemon juice day two if flavors dull. Don’t overdress in advance; oil and acid balance shifts with time. If peppers tough next day, reheating slightly or adding acidity wakes textures. Keep salad cold or room temp only; warm causes mushy barley and greasy feel. Adjust seasoning on leftovers, capers brighten well.
Common questions
How to know when peppers are roasted?
Listen for popping and sizzling; skins blister with bubbles. Color turns a bit blackened but not burnt hard. Soft but still slightly firm. Smell sweet caramel notes. Visual cues more important than timer.
Can I use another grain besides barley?
Works well with farro or bulgur too. Adjust cooking times; farro usually shorter. Rinse all grains to prevent gummy texture. Keep chewiness intact to avoid mushy salad.
What if halloumi gets rubbery?
Halloumi rubbery from overheating or long reheating. Best served cool or quickly warmed in pan. Alternatives: grilled tofu or eggplant, sliced thick, for similar texture contrast. Reheat gently or not at all.
How to store leftovers?
Store sealed in fridge up to 3 days. Mint fades fast so add fresh at serving. Dressing stays okay but acidity softens over time. Can chill or bring to room temp. Avoid reheating whole salad; best cold.
