Wheat Berry Salad with Apricots & Green Onions
A chewy, wholesome whole-grain salad with sweet apricots, crunchy toasted pecans, red pepper and currants in a green-onion vinaigrette with a little honey and cayenne.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup wheat berries
- 3 ripe but firm apricots diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup chopped pecans toasted
- ¼ cup dried currants soaked 5 minutes in 1 cup boiling water
Vinaigrette
- 1 bunch green onions about 5, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the wheat berries, return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. The wheat berries should be tender but still chewy. Drain and spread out on a baking sheet to cool quickly.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together all the vinaigrette ingredients. Set aside.
- When the wheat berries have cooled to room temperature, toss with the remaining salad ingredients and the vinaigrette. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Toast the pecans: 3–5 minutes in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking often — don't walk away, as they burn quickly.
Cool the grains fast: Spreading the cooked wheat berries on a sheet pan stops the cooking and keeps them chewy.
Soak the currants: A quick soak in boiling water plumps them so they're juicy in the salad.
Make ahead: It holds well — serve cold or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 380mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg