Egyptian Barley Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
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Inspired by the flavors of Egypt, this gorgeous barley salad is adorned with feta, scallions, pistachios, raisins and pomegranate seeds.
Modestly adapted from The Complete Make-Ahead Cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen, this Middle Eastern barley salad incorporates crunchy pistachios, tangy pomegranate molasses, earthy spices, and sweet golden raisins. Salty feta, scallions, and juicy pomegranate seeds adorn the top of the dish, making a gorgeous composed salad with lively flavors and textures. It’s a wonderful dish to keep in the fridge for healthy lunches, and it also makes a festive-looking potluck dish for the holidays.
What You’ll Need To Make Egyptian Barley Salad
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by cooking the barley. In order for the grains to remain distinct, rather than cohesive as in a pilaf, America’s Test Kitchen uses the “pasta method” to boil the barley.
Drain the barley, then spread it on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, cumin, and salt. (Note that pomegranate molasses is sold at some large grocers, Whole Foods, or Middle Eastern markets. You can also buy it online.)
Toss with the cooled barley, cilantro, raisins, and pistachios.
Spread the barley salad evenly onto a serving platter and arrange feta, scallions, and pomegranate seeds in diagonal rows on top. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve.
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Egyptian Barley Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Inspired by the flavors of Egypt, this gorgeous barley salad is adorned with feta, scallions, pistachios, raisins and pomegranate seeds.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups pearl barley (do not substitute hulled barley or hull-less barley)
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see note)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (parsley may be substituted)
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup unsalted shelled pistachios or walnuts, chopped coarse
- 4 oz feta cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced (you'll need 4 to 6 scallions)
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add barley and 1 tablespoon salt, return to boil, and cook until tender, about 45 minutes, or according to package instructions. Drain barley, spread onto rimmed baking sheet, and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, cumin, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Add the barley, cilantro, raisins, and pistachios (or walnuts) and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread barley salad evenly on serving platter and arrange feta, scallions, and pomegranate seeds in separate diagonal rows on top. Drizzle with extra oil and serve.
- Make Ahead: The cooked barley and vinaigrette can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days. To serve, bring barley and vinaigrette to room temperature, whisk vinaigrette to recombine, and continue with step 3, seasoning to taste as necessary. Dressed salad can be held up to 2 hours at room temperature before serving.
- Note: Pomegranate molasses is sold at some large grocers, Whole Foods or Middle Eastern markets. You can also buy it online.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 326
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 212 mg
- Cholesterol: 13 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Loved it! I think it would even be great without feta. It was full of flavor.
I prepared this recipe last Christmas. It was a huge hit and cannot wait to prepare it again. Since then I have discovered how much I love pearl barley. If anyone is wondering about this recipe wonder no more. It’s a 10!
Hi Jenn!!
What are your thoughts on substituting in farro for the barley?
-Kim
That would be perfectly fine here – enjoy!
Outstanding recipe – easy to make and full of flavor. We loved it! Will definitely make this again.
Hi Jenn,
Served this with your Grilled Moroccan Chicken. Yum and so pretty! We both loved it…however, wondered what you would suggest to “kick it up” a bit in the spice dept.? I read the mint/cilantro idea and will try that next time. Also, I did halve it successfully if anyone wondered.
Glad you enjoyed it, Charlene. I think you could definitely bump up the cumin and add some heat (cayenne or chili peppers).
Hi Jenn,
I am having a party and we are about 25 people. How much should i make?
Tahera
Hi Tahera, I’d probably multiply all the ingredients by 4 to 5 depending upon how substantial the rest of your meal will be. Enjoy!
Can the barley and dressing be prepared a day or two ahead?
Definitely! For more details, see the “Make Ahead” section immediately under the recipe instructions. Enjoy!
I made this for a holiday potluck and it was a big hit. Some of the guests do not eat dairy, so had the feta on one side and chick peas on the other. I also added a row of Kalamata olives which fit in perfectly with the other ingredients. It was a beautiful presentation on my Italian ceramic platter.
I made this dish just before Thanksgiving and my family raved about it…even my son-in-law and my 5yr old grandson! My daughter is not a big fan of too much cilantro so I altered the recipe and changed the potion of cilantro to half mint and half cilantro. It was a hit!
just the thing needed at my house after the big Thanksgiving indulgence – – Thank You!! Enjoyed trying so many of your recipes as you were preparing to publish, and now can’t wait to try this one too!