California Barley Bowl
From Megan Gordon’s cookbook, Whole Grain Mornings, a super grain bowl. Plump barley grains are tossed with sprouts (or greens), nuts, avocado, a bit of cheese and dolloped with a simple yogurt sauce.
This California Barley Bowl became part of my repertoire after I began cooking from Megan Gordon's cookbook, Whole Grain Mornings. I met Megan years ago when she was sampling granola in front of my favorite San Francisco market. We continued to cross paths over the years and became friends. I love Megan's smart-but-relaxed approach to cooking and this sort of grain salad situation is perfect for picnics, potlucks and family gatherings. It’s an easy call. Most of the prep can be done ahead of time. Plump barley grains are tossed with sprouts (or greens), nuts, avocado, a bit of cheese, then dolloped with a simple yogurt sauce. I tend to do an extra large version, family-style, reflected in the recipe below.
The Strategy
Anytime you’re cooking a grain like barley or farro, go big. Cook a lot. Enough to use with whatever recipe you have at hand, and enough to bag and freeze for use in the coming days (and weeks). To do this, make sure the grains are well-cooked and well-drained if you have any residual cooking water. Cool in the refrigerator, and double bag before placing in the freezer. It's the sort of thing to grab for when pulling together a quick stew, a twist on fried rice, or lunchtime grain bowl.
Variations
A number of you have posted fantastic variations of the barley bowl over the years, and I want to highlight a few here:
- Keep it warm: Patricia says, “I substituted spelt for the barley and I think I like it better – great texture, a little chewy, nutty taste. I also tossed the arugula into the spelt while it was still warm so there was a wilted effect that we like. And I used part ricotta and part crumbled feta cheese for a little snap to the flavor. Yum!”
- Wheatberries: Di noted, “I made a similar dish for lunch today but used organic wheat berries instead of barley. Added chopped walnuts, pomegranate arils, grated carrot, currants, rocket, lemon and parsley with a splash of plain yoghurt.”
- Double up!: Megan’s pro-tip is, “I always at least 2x the yogurt sauce, too, as I love using it up on just about anything throughout the week. “
More Grain Salads
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California Barley Bowl
As Megan mentions, this bowl can be equally good with other grains - farro or quinoa, in particular. You can use pearl barley or hulled barley here. Hulled barley is minimally processed leaving the bran and germ intact. Pearled barley is more like white rice in that regard and has the bran and germ polished away. The recipe below is an adaptation of Megan’s, scaled up for a bit of a crowd. And because I had a sampling of other nuts and seeds on hand, I supplemented the almonds she calls for with those - pepitas and walnuts.
- 6 cups cooked barley
- 4 cups arugula or bean sprouts
- 6 ounces cotija, queso fresco, or ricotta salata cheese
- 1 cup toasted almonds, or a mix of seeds/nuts
- scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup of chives, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 2 ripe avocados, thinly sliced
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In a large bowl combine the barley, arugula, cheese, almonds, and salt together. Mix well. You might need more or less salt depending on the saltiness of your cheese.
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Make a quick yogurt sauce by whisking the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon, juice, chives, and salt in a small bowl. You can refrigerate this (or any leftovers) for a few days, if needed. If the sauce begins to separate, just give it a good stir before using.
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Serve barley mixture topped with avocado, chives, and big dollops of yogurt sauce.
Serves 8.
Adapted from Megan Gordon's Whole Grain Mornings: New Breakfast Recipes to Span the Seasons, published by Ten Speed Press, 2014
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Comments
This barley bowl sounds amazing!
Delicious! I used farro as my grain and did sunflower seeds instead of almonds because I had them on hand.
I added a bit of EVOO and quick pickled red onions because I felt like it needed some “zing”—it was the right choice. Highly recommend going with the cotija (or even a feta).
Hi Ali! I love the quick pickled onion add. Pretty pops of pink as well.
I made this last night, and me and my 3.5 year old LOVED it! Somehow I forgot to use the yogurt sauce (I made it in the morning and forgot about it) and it was still good! This is a great recipe and I look forward to leftovers tonight with yogurt sauce! Also, this working mom soaked her barley during the day and simmered for 15 minutes, making this possible to whip up quickly.
Hi Heidi, I’ll be making this for dinner tonight! I started visiting your blog many years ago when I first started to blog and I made a whole bunch of your recipes when my family and I went vegetarian for a month (kind of an experiment with the kids) The choice and flavors were incredible, we still eat well but I was sitting at my computer wondering what to cook tonight and thought I’d come back here. So glad I did and I’ll try to be less of a stranger. Your recipes rock…
HS: Thanks Gerry! xo
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this for breakfast. Since I’ve prepared it for weekday breakfasts I’ve kept it simple and omitted the cheese but added harissa paste to the yogurt and chickpea/mung bean sprouts along with the avo. Simple but smart, delicious, and filling breakfast bow. Thank you Megan and Heidi!!
I’ve made this salad twice and we love it. The second time I substituted spelt for the barley and I think I like it better – great texture, a little chewy, nutty taste. I also tossed the arugula into the spelt while it was still warm so there was a wilted effect that we like. And I used part ricotta and part crumbled feta cheese for a little snap to the flavor. Yum!
That you for the sauce suggestion. I turned it into a salad dressing with the addition of some olive oil, minced garlic and feta cheese. It is sublime. I’m enjoying it on the Greenest Salad and will serve it with the Quinoa Patties tonight. So yummy.
Sarah Graham—I eat gluten-free too, and I generally use whole buckwheat as a sub for barley. I bet that’d work great here, or quinoa, as Heidi suggested in her notes. Millet sounds good, too. Endless possibilities! Well, until you hit all the gluten. 🙂
So nice to see barley getting some attention. The recipe does not specify whether to use “hulled” or “pearled” barley. I recommend hulled, which is the whole grain form and more nutritious (and more delicious!) My favorite barley salad is made with roasted vegetables (I play around with combinations – delicata squash, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc), shaved manchego cheese, basil, kale, walnuts, and the vinaigrette dressing included in Tom Douglas’s phenomenal Tuscan Bread Salad.
Looks very tasty. Might try it with freekeh or farro too.
I reach for a similar combination of flavours quite often – mostly rocket, cilantro, avocado, grains, pumpkin seeds and feta. It is always a winner and I know it makes me feel really good and satiated. I am intrigues (and scared?) by the yogurt dressing…I am curious to hear your thoughts about this. Thanks, x
Great recipe!!!
My husband is gluten intolerant and cannot eat barley. Barley has a distinct taste so I am wondering what grain would substitute with quinoa? rice? or millet?
So yummy!! We put a poached egg over ours. Delicious.
Snap. I made a similar dish for lunch today but used organic wheat berries instead of barley. Added chopped walnuts, pomegranate arils, grated carrot, currants, rocket, lemon and parsley with a splash of plain yoghurt
I am imagining barley and cotija cheese together right now topped with avocado and herbs…yum! Another fabulous recipe that is easy to prepare!
I’m salivating.
So much goodness in here! Such a lovely bowl 🙂
Thanks for pointing out this book Heidi – I made this recipe today and it was a delicious lunch. Have now ordered the book and look forward to exploring more of Megan’s recipes soon!
For some reason barley is one of those grains that I always overlook, even though I love it! This looks great, maybe I’ll finally hop on the barley bandwagon
This looks amazing ~ lovely photos too, as usual. I will make this very soon for family and friends. Happy New Year and Happy Friday!
I enjoy barley a lot and was pleasantly surprised with your barley bowl recipe!
By accident, I found a great way to use barley. Jook is a Chinese porridge dish using only white rice and water to make a thick creamy porridge. Anything would be healthier than white rice but when trying brown rice (and even quinoa) , disappointingly it didn’t come out smooth and thick … But I saw a Korean cooking show on TV … and tried just barley and water .. And WOW, the porridge came out great … Very smooth, thick and creamy!
I use this thick, hot porridge on cold nights seasoned any way you like and adding any vegetables (a little or a lot) … Also great as a morning porridge!
This sounds like the perfect breakfast! I’ve been doing a brown rice bowl with a fried egg, sesame oil and scallions. I love a savory, whole grain breakfast! thanks for a new spin 🙂
Looks delicious! And perfect for making ahead to have for lunch all week!
This looks amazing! Although, now it has made me super hungry.
Great recipe! I will most certainly try this one, thank you!
Your post is too perfect, timing-wise: I just the other day discovered Megan myself, and was delighted to learn she’s in Seattle, my adopted hometown. I currently reside outside of Beijing, though, and as is common when fellow expats leave, was recently gifted a store of barley that I was trying to figure out how to cook. My version may ultimately have an Asian twist to it, but I can get most of the ingredients here and am sooo excited to try this recipe!
That looks so delicious! Your recipes are making it a mite easier to stick to my January resolutions.
Looks delicious! I might have to try a quinoa version this weekend!
Heidi, you made the Barley Bowl look almost regal! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe … I always at least 2x the yogurt sauce, too, as I love using it up on just about anything throughout the week. And love the addition of waffles to the breakfast spread. Sounds like everyone was happy 🙂 We look forward to seeing you again sooooon. xox
Such a lovely idea, gotta try this one! I wonder how you managed to slice the avocado so thinly?
Sounds just perfect. I could really eat that salad for brunch. Actually, I will eat it next weekend, as I have all the ingredients at home 🙂
I’m so excited about this book! I haven’t seen one recipe in it that I’m not desperate to make; this sounds like a total crowd-pleaser.
I read such a nice recommendations about this book that it’s definitely on a list to buy.
The thinly sliced avocados on top are so beautiful, what a great way to get your whole grain!
I cannot wait to try this. I love barley, and I love eating yogurt with savory food. Thanks for sharing!
I love barley, but have to admit to having never used it in a salad. This salad looks like a perfect introduction. Thank you for introducing me to Megan’s book too. I just downloaded a copy on my kindle and can’t wait to devour it as I’m really keen to add more whole grains to my diet.
Wow that salad is beautiful. What perfect timing, I’m going to a pot luck tomorrow night and am supposed to bring salad! I can’t wait to make this.
xx
Lisa @ The Skinny on Health
I do love barley! This sounds like a perfect feel-good meal to have.
This is the exact kind of salad I need after all the indulging this holiday season. Perfection!
Wow what a lovely salad to look at. I use a lot of boiled pearl barley, just out of the freezer too. Love the texture and the way it blends with other flavours. Trying this salad very soon. Thanks for sharing.
Perfect! It’s a heat wave down here in melbourne (Australia) and I’m looking for no cook dinners for this week and as I have frozen cooked farro in the freezer I think this one looks like a winner! Thanks again Heidi x
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