Pearl Barley Salad

This is my go-to pearl barley salad when I want something fresh but still filling. It leans on Middle Eastern roots, but I’ve kept it simple with plenty of lemon, good olive oil, and loads of herbs. I cook the barley until it’s tender with a bit of bite, then cool it out so it stays separate and doesn’t clump.

Spring onion, cucumber and cherry tomatoes keep it sharp and clean, while parsley lifts the whole thing. It’s easy to prep, holds well in the fridge, and works well with grilled chicken, fish, lamb, beef or some roast vegetables.

Ingredient Support

Pearl barley - If you’ve never cooked with it, pearl barley is a grain with the outer husk and bran polished off, so it cooks quicker than regular barley. You’ll usually find it in the rice or dried beans section.

Lebanese cucumber - This is the smaller, thinner-skinned cucumber. It’s sweeter, has softer seeds and less water than the big continental ones. If you can’t find it, any cucumber will do, just scrape out the watery seeds so your salad doesn’t turn into soup.

Flat leaf parsley - Flat leaf parsley is fresh, slightly peppery and herbaceous, and different to your curly leaf parsley. If all you can find is curly, it’ll work, but flat leaf gives you that clean, punchy finish.

Extra virgin olive oil - This is one of those recipes where you’ll taste the oil, so use a good one. Extra virgin means it’s cold-pressed and unrefined. It's fruity, grassy, sometimes a little peppery at the back of the throat. It’s not just for cooking; it’s seasoning.

Tools

• Large saucepan (to cook the pearl barley)
• Colander or sieve (for draining the barley)
• Large mixing bowl (for tossing everything together)
• Large tray or baking tray (to spread and cool the barley)
• Citrus juicer or reamer (for the lemons)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Chef’s knife, chopping board, wooden spoon or spatula