Wheat Berry Salad
Bursting with flavor, this hearty wheat berry salad recipe is filled with sweet apples, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, celery and fresh herbs, and topped with a simple vinaigrette dressing. Served cold, this healthy, vegan salad is great for any time of year – it’s especially perfect in fall – and makes a great side dish.
Why you’ll love this wheat berry salad
I’ve been a fan of wheat berries for years. They were on constant rotation as a side dish when we lived in France, mostly because I bought them in super easy boil-in-a-bag, so they were super convenient.
If you’ve never tried them before, you’re in for a treat. This sturdy, whole grain has a slight nutty flavor and the perfect chewy texture. They’re great on their own, but they’re even better in a salad like this one.
For the dressing, I used a variation of my favorite Dijon vinaigrette, and I filled the salad with hearty extras that hold up in the fridge, like celery, apples and dried cranberries.
This recipe would be great served with: Moroccan meatballs / honey mustard chicken thighs / garlic baked chicken legs / Italian porchetta roast
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe
How to make wheat berry salad
Cook the wheat berries. You’ll need cooked wheat berries to start this recipe, and while I don’t include specific instructions for how to cook wheat berries in this recipe, I find it best to follow the directions on the package for the best results. I love making mine in the Instant Pot because it’s super easy and hands-off.
Mix the dressing. Next, whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth. You can do this in the bottom of the salad bowl, or in the small mixing bowl. Whatever’s easier.
Combine the salad ingredients. Once your wheat berries have cooled completely, add them to a large salad bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix in the dressing and stir until the everything is evenly coated.
Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate before serving.
FAQ’s and tips for making wheat berry salad
They are! Wheat berries contain fiber, protein, and iron. Not only that, but a cup of cooked wheat berries has about 300 calories and are packed with antioxidants and magnesium – both of which are important for bone growth.
If you don’t have or can’t find any wheat berries, a good substitute to use is farro. Farro a different whole grain that is very versatile and is often used as a substitute for wheat berries.
Leftover salad can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days, giving you plenty of time to enjoy this salad throughout the week.
More salad recipes to try
- Italian chopped salad
- Mediterranean quinoa salad
- Leftover turkey salad
- Roasted vegetable pasta salad
- Chicken cobb salad
Side dish recipe you’ll love
- 5 Ingredient cucumber salad
- Easy saffron rice
- Italian style green beans
- Homemade stuffing
- Easy coconut rice
Wheat Berry Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
Bursting with flavor, this hearty wheat berry salad recipe is filled with sweet apples, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, celery and fresh herbs, and topped with a simple vinaigrette dressing. Served cold, this healthy, vegan salad is great for any time of year – it’s especially perfect in autumn/fall – and makes a great side dish.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked wheat berries (about 1 1/2 uncooked)
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 2 apples, chopped
- 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
For the dressing:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients until smooth. Pour over the salad and mix until evenly coated.
- Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 345
- Sugar: 10.1 g
- Sodium: 204.5 mg
- Fat: 9.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.4 g
- Fiber: 14.2 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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