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Kale Barley Salad with Feta and a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette (Video)

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This kale barley salad has it all: crunchy sunflower seeds, creamy avocado, salty feta cheese, chickpeas and red onions, and is tossed in a tangy honey and lemon vinaigrette.  Perfect for a week-day lunch!

Kale Barley Salad with Feta and a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette (Video)

Recipe updated 09/26/2017 to include instructions for using this recipe as a meal prep lunch.

I know that it has already been ‘back to school’ for most kids, but it’s about to be ‘back to school’ for me!

Except that my school is more like work.  It doesn’t end at 3, that’s for sure.  There were often long days, homework and work on week-ends.  That’s because I’m doing my PhD.

I am 4 and a half years in {!}, meaning that I am hopefully within a year of finishing.  There are definitely things that need to happen in this year, the least of which is writing my thesis {!!} and having my defense {!!!}.  Then you have to call me doctor, or I won’t answer you 😉

So yes…It’s time to roll up my sleeves, dust off my brain, and say hi to science again.

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Kale Barley Salad with Feta and a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette (Video)

Besides saying good-bye to my {somewhat} relaxing morning routine with Kai, I am going to have to start packing a lunch again!  And as much as I like peanut butter, PB sandwiches are a bit depressing.

That’s how this kale barley salad was inspired.  It is healthy, convenient, packed with goodies.  It will keep in your fridge for a few days {minus the avocado} so you can prep up a big batch and eat it for several days.

My favorite part about this kale barley salad {besides the flavor!} is the different textures.  Are you a texture eater?  I am!  This salad has the leafy kale, creamy avocado, crunchy sunflower seeds, smooth, chewy barley.  I love all the contrasting textures.

Kale Barley Salad with Feta and a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette (Video)

Kale Barley Salad with Feta and a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette (Video)

The base of the salad is kale.  Maybe you are on the kale bandwagon, maybe not.  I have found that the secret to eating raw kale salads is to marinate your kale in the dressing for at least 30 minutes before eating it.  It also helps to give it a bit of a massage when you wash it.

I added pearl barley to the salad to give it some ‘staying power’.  I hate it when I eat my lunch and am hungry an hour later!  Plus I absolutely adore the texture of the pearl barley….so smooth and chewy and slightly nutty in flavor.

Kale Barley Salad with Feta and a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette (Video)

To add some protein to this kale barley salad, I threw in some chickpeas, feta and sunflower seeds.  We ate this salad for dinner one night and Ben also added some chicken breast, but honestly, I was good with how it is.

Then…the vinaigrette!  It is a tangy white wine vinegar, honey and lemon vinaigrette.  Super simple, and works perfectly with the kale, feta, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, avocado.

It all comes together as a slightly lemony, sorta tangy, all-round delicious, fresh, healthy, tasty salad.

More kale salads for us!

4.88 from 8 votes
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Kale Barley Salad with Feta and a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette (Video)
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 
This kale salad has it all: nutty barley, crunchy sunflower seeds, creamy avocado, salty feta cheese, chickpeas and red onions, and tossed in a tangy honey and lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for a week-day lunch!
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 400 kcal
Ingredients
Salad
  • 1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley {just over 1 cup cooked}
  • 4 cups loosely packed kale; washed stems removed, and cut into small ribbons
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta
  • 1 cup chickpeas
  • 1 avocado cubed {leave out until just before serving}
  • 2-3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
  • 2 tbsp red onion finely diced
Vinaigrette
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tsp honey
Instructions
  1. Cook pearl barley according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and toss with the kale. Make sure all of kale gets some vinaigrette on it, this helps to remove some of the bitterness of the kale.
  3. Once barley is cool, toss with the kale/vinaigrette and remaining ingredients {however you should leave out the avocado until directly before serving}
For a Meal Prep Lunch
  1. Divide the vinaigrette between four pint-sized jars.
  2. Add in the following order: chickpeas, barley, feta, onions, sunflower seeds, kale.
  3. Omit avocado or add fresh.
  4. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. To serve, shake everything out into a bowl and toss with vinaigrette.
Nutrition Facts
Kale Barley Salad with Feta and a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette (Video)
Amount Per Serving (1 /4 batch)
Calories 400 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 175mg 7%
Potassium 828mg 24%
Total Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Dietary Fiber 10g 40%
Sugars 6g
Protein 13g 26%
Vitamin A 136.4%
Vitamin C 105.6%
Calcium 20%
Iron 20.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
  • More Kale Salad Inspiration:

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Comments

  1. Change that Kale to Spinach for us & use vegan feta cheeze & maple syrup instead of honey & we are good to go with this! Yummy! Gonna have this tonight

    Reply

  4. I made this last night with kale I got from my garden. It was amazing! Thanks so much for such a good recipe! I did change the dressing slightly since my boyfriend hates vinegar and I forgot I didn’t have honey. I ended up just doing one and a half lemons, the recommended lemon zest, and 3 tbs sugar. Completely forgot to add olive oil. But it was still really good!

    Reply

  6. I grow veggies in my city backyard garden near the kitchen and enjoy layering my meals with fresh goodies such as those used in your recipes. Thank you for sharing! I’m in!

    P.S. Stay the course on your Doctorate and best wishes. That is outstanding!

    Reply

    • Hi Debra, I finally finished my degree in December! Thanks so much for your warm wishes 🙂 I hope you like this salad, it is one of my most popular recipes.

      Reply

  7. OMG! You’ve changed my life. No kidding. I DISLIKE kale. I usually sub spinach for most dishes. This meal was amazing! Just delicious and hearty. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Wow, what an awesome comment to wake up and read 🙂 I’m so glad you liked the salad! One tip I’ve learned more recently is that ‘massaging’ the kale for a minute or two really helps take out the bitterness. Thanks, Christine!

      Reply

  8. This is an awesome salad. I didn’t have any pearl barley and substituted Freekah grain and quinoa which was great. Also added extra couple of TSP of fresh lemon and sprinkle of lemon pepper on my chickpeas and onions to marinate while the kale was marinating and it added extra lemon flavor to the dish. This is a keeper.

    Reply

  10. Hi Mireille! I’m so glad you liked the salad. I have found more recently that giving the kale a massage for a minute or so really helps get the bitterness out if you’re in a rush. Thanks for reporting back!

    Reply

  12. Made this salad last night using exactly what you specified on recipe. Was SO delicious! Thank you for sharing it and all of your other recipes- I can’t wait to try some more!

    Reply

  14. I calculated the nutritional info for this salad in case anyone is interested in having it.
    (Per serving)
    Calories 465
    Total Fat. 21 g
    Saturated 4.2 g
    Polyunsaturated 4.6 g
    Monounsaturated 11 g
    Cholesterol 11 mg
    Sodium 186 mg
    Total Carbs. 57 g
    Dietary Fiber 15
    Sugar 9.6 g
    Protein 17 g
    Vitamin A 535 mcg
    Vitamin C 87 mcg
    Calcium 221 mg
    Iron 5.5 mg

    Reply

    • THanks, Laurie! I’ve been thinking about posting nutritional information for my healthier recipes, but it is so much extra work. Do you have a website or tool you use to do the calculations?

      Reply

  17. So glad I stumbled across this recipe right in time for lunch. This is the perfect ‘everyday’ salad.

    Each component is super versatile too! Out of sesame seeds? Use green pepitas! No time to cook barley? Just heat up some frozen pre-cooked brown rice or quinoa! There are endless combos to prevent salad burnout. Thanks for posting!

    PS – how’d you create the moving pic/GIF?

    Reply

  22. This is my kind of salad, I love everything about it! I am totally on the kale bandwagon!
    And congrats on returning to school! It sounds like you’ve got a lot of work to do, but you can do it! 🙂

    Reply

  24. Hello Denise!
    I am so into kale and honey at the moment and this Kale, Barley and Feta Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette looks very yummy for a lunch treat.

    Reply

  26. So impressed you are getting your PhD! Way to go! I can’t imagine how much work that must be. I’m sure you look forward to your lunch breaks a ton. This salad looks delicious! I’m a total texture eater to, so this would be a perfect salad for me.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Natalie! I will need all the cheerleaders I can get to get my thesis written and defended LOL. And I’m glad I’m not the only person who is a texture eater 🙂

      Reply

  27. Congrats on almost being done with your PhD program, Denise! That’s quite an accomplishment! This salad looks incredible! I’m definitely a texture eater, so I love all of the flavors and crunch in here, especially the chickpeas and feta!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  10. […] 6. Kale Barley and Feta Salad This salad has a little something for everyone with crunchy sunflower seeds, salty feta cheese (which is lower in fat and calories than most cheeses), and a tangy homemade lemon vinaigrette. To cut down on toughness and bitterness, marinate the raw kale for at least 30 minutes before eating. Vitamin B benefits: Barley provides B3, B6 and B7, feta offers B2, B6 and B12, and avocado delivers the B5. Bonus: Chickpeas are a worthy source of B9. Photo and recipe: Denise / Sweet Peas and Saffron […]

    Reply

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