Mediterranean Barley Salad with Cucumber, Roasted Peppers and Feta

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

I’m a busy girl who likes to eat well, so one technique I use that saves me from going out for lunch every day is to prepare a healthy side dish at dinner that packs enough nutrition to be turned into a next-day main.  This beautiful Mediterranean Barley Salad totally fits the bill. I love the crunchy cucumbers, with the sweet smoky peppers, salty feta, nutty chewy barley and the crisp toasty sliced almonds.

I usually make a double batch of this Mediterranean Barley Salad and save the leftovers for the next day. Then I boost up the protein with a bit of grilled meat, a hard boiled egg, or some canned chickpeas. Seriously, it couldn’t be simpler and it beats the hell out of anything at the workplace café. Expect to get a few snarky stares from your co-workers as they fork-down their greasy take-out. Weekday win!

Mediterranean Barley Salad – Easy Work Lunch

Barley is so hearty and packs a lot of fibre, so it will keep you feeling fuller throughout the day. I also love the salty punch of the feta and the crunchy bits of cucumber in this delicious Mediterranean barley salad.

What’s your favourite dinner to bring to lunch? Have you tried making this Mediterranean barley salad?

Mediterranean Almond Barley Salad with Cucumber, Roasted Peppers and Feta

This beautiful Mediterranean Barley Salad totally fits the bill. I love the crunchy cucumbers, with the sweet smoky peppers, salty feta, nutty chewy barley and the crisp toasty sliced almonds.

4.34 from 6 votes

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Abbey Sharp

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup barley
• ▢ 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• ▢ 3 mini cucumbers diced
• ▢ 1/2 cup roasted red peppers diced
• ▢ 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• ▢ 3 tbsp crumbled feta
• ▢ Zest of 1/2 lemon
• ▢ Juice of 1/4 lemon
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Bring the barley to a boil in 2 1/2 cups of water. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered, for about 40-50 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a small dry pan over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3-4 minutes.
• In a bowl, mix the cooked and cooled barley, cucumbers, red pepper, oregano, feta, lemon juice, zest, olive oil, and almonds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal

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Abbey Sharp

Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.