Summer Harvest Barley Salad with Corn, Zucchini and Tomatoes
A delicious barley salad featuring tender zucchini, sweet corn, garden fresh tomatoes and briny olives tossed with hearty barley grains, a zippy vinaigrette and a handful of chopped basil. Perfect for the height of summer!
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Calories: 178kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked pearl barley see note below
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 12 ounces zucchini cut into ½ inch dice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 3 ears of fresh corn shucked and cut off of the cob (see note below)
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 ripe garden or farm stand tomatoes cored and cut into a ½ inch dice
- ½ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil plus more for garnish if desired.
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add zucchini and saute until it is spotty brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add corn and continue to cook until vegetables are just tender, about 2-3 more minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, whisk white balsamic vinegar, remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon juice together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss barley and zucchini mixture together in a large serving bowl. Gently fold in tomatoes, olives, basil and vinaigrette until everything is just combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with additional basil if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
To cook pearl barley: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Season with salt and add 1 cup of pearl barley. Cook until the barley is tender, about 30-40 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. 1 cup of uncooked barley makes approximately 3 cups of cooked pearl barley.
To easily cut corn from the cob: Hold the corn cob with the tapered end facing down inside of a large bowl. With your other hand, run a sharp chef’s knife down the length of the cob, letting the kernels fall inside the bowl. Repeat until all kernels have been removed.
Nutrition
Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 465IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
