Our Roasted Vegetable Barley Recipe is a great dish to have at any gathering, picnic or get-together. This roasted vegetable Mochi Barley recipe is prepared Mediterranean-style…chockful of flavor, texture, and goodness. Bonus, you can make this ahead as part of your meal prep! Omit the feta for a vegan option. Learn more about this ancient grain called barley and check out all the options to serve this barley recipe below. I love a versatile dish that you can serve a light dinner, lunch, side, or a satisfying salad to feed a crowd. Even better, if it works for meal-prep and can be divided and stored in the fridge for later.
This Roasted Vegetable Barley Recipe contains Mediterranean roasted vegetables and so much flavor!
What to serve along?
If you like, add your favorite protein such as this lemon chicken or a simple pan-seared salmon or this baked salmon. I often serve this barley as the star dish next to other vegetarian items like roasted garlic hummus and falafel patties. We all know how much Mochi Barley simplifies life, once again we found a way. That is why its called the Unexpected Superfood.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Mochi Mugi Japanese Pearled Barley BUY NOW>
- water
- 2 whole zucchini squash, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, diced
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp/ 3.9 g harissa spice, divided
- 3/4 tsp/ 1.95 g smoked paprika, divided
- Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 2 scallions (green onions), trimmed and chopped (both whites and greens)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 oz / 56 g chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp/30 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Feta cheese, to taste (optional)
- Toasted pine nuts, to taste (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place pearl barley and 2 1/2 cups (591 ml) water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Cover and cook for 40 to 45 minutes or until the barley is cooked through (should be tender but maintains some chew.)
- While barley is cooking, place diced vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion) on a large baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, 1 1/2 tsp harissa spice, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread evenly in one layer on the baking sheet. Roast in a heated oven for 25 minutes or so. OR you can roast on the grill for some tasty charred flavor.
- When barley is ready, drain any excess water. Season with salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp harissa spice, and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika. Toss to combine.
- Transfer cooked barley to a large mixing bowl. Add roasted veggies. Add chopped scallions, garlic, and fresh parsley. Dress with lemon juice and a good drizzle of Early Harvest extra virgin olive oil. Toss. If you like, top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts.
- Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold! Enjoy.
From our friends @themediterraneandish
COOKS TIP: It’s best to make the barley salad at least 3 hours ahead of time so the flavors have time to mingle.
HEY!: If you’re not using quick-cooking pearled barley, which takes 15 minutes to cook in boiling water vs 60 you could save some time in the kitchen by soaking your grains a day before. That makes working with traditional pearled barley SO much easier when considering that NOBODY has time to wait 60 minutes in the kitchen anymore.
Then again, if you have a day to soak your grains, you might as well just order up some today!
