Barley Antipasto Salad

In medium saucepan with lid bring water to a boil. Add barley and return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 50-55 minutes or until barley is tender and most of liquid is absorbed. (NOTE: Whole grain barley tends to absorb less moisture than pearl barley and it may be necessary to pour oﬀ any unabsorbed liquid after cooking.) Cool.
While barley is cooking, combine everything else except dressing in a large bowl. Add cooked and cooled barley. Drizzle with salad dressing and toss to coat.
Cover and chill for 2 hours. Just before serving, toss again, adding more dressing if necessary.

Grain:

Barley [1]

Ingredients:

1 cup whole grain barley kernels

3 cups water

½ pound Provolone cheese, cut into ¼-inch cubes

½ pound Italian salami, cut into ¼-inch cubes (optional)

1 can (16 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

1 cup pepperoncini rings, drained (or ⅔ cup whole pepperoncini, sliced into rings)

¾ cup chopped red bell pepper

8 medium white button mushrooms, sliced

½ cup chopped Kalamata or ripe black olives

¼ cup shredded Parmesan chees

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

⅓ to ½ cup prepared Italian salad dressing (or your own dressing)

Active time:

10 minutes

Yield:

12 servings

Nutrition:

Calories: 320, Total Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Sodium: 1260mg, Carbohydrate: 18g, Fiber: 4g, Total Sugars: 2g (Added Sugar: 0g), Protein: 16g

Author:

Recipe and photo courtesy of National Barley Foods Council [2]

Diet:

Mediterranean Diet

Course:

Side dishes

Rating:

Description:

Whole grains, olives, herbs, vegetables, and cheese make this dish a great balanced meal. While the salami adds extra Mediterranean ﬂavor, you can leave it out if you prefer a vegetarian salad.