Creamy Protein Bean and Barley Salad Recipe

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Creamy Protein Bean and Barley Salad Recipe

High-Protein Creamy Bean and Barley Salad with a creamy artichoke dressing. Made with pantry staples, it's like a multivitamin in salad form.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 528kcal

Author: Nisha Melvani

Equipment

1 Immersion blender or blender

Ingredients

¾ cup cooked barley (or up to 1 cup) hulless, pearled, or hulled
1 ½ cups cooked white beans 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
¾ cup frozen shelled edamame simmered for 10 minutes
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes dried and soaked, or packed in oil, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons capers or ¼ cup chopped olives
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
1 shallot minced
hemp hearts for garnish (optional)

For the dressing:

¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
¼ cup artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or 1 tablespoon mellow miso
2 teaspoons harissa seasoning
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons water to thin, plus more as needed
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Prep ahead: Cook the barley. Prepare the barley according to the package directions until tender but still pleasantly chewy. Drain any excess water and let it cool completely.
Prep ahead: Simmer the edamame. Simmer the frozen edamame according to the package directions. Drain well and allow it to cool.
Make the dressing. Add the lemon juice, tahini, artichoke hearts, nutritional yeast (or miso), harissa seasoning, maple syrup, garlic, and water to a blender or small food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more water as needed to reach your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cooked barley, white beans, edamame, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and shallot. Add the pumpkin seeds at this time or for serving for more crunch.
Toss and serve. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Garnish with hemp hearts, if using. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Video

Notes

Cook frozen edamame according to the package directions. This not only gives it the best texture but also ensures it's heated for food safety before adding it to the salad.

Barley: Hulless barley is the most nutritious option because it retains more of the bran and germ, but pearled barley works well too if that's what you have on hand.

For gluten-free, use brown rice, wild rice, or sorghum.

Flavor boost: Add 2 to 3 teaspoons miso paste to the dressing when blending for even more flavor. Add water until the desired consistency.

Find my harissa seasoning here under 'Shop Healthy Ingredients'. Or see substitute below.

Harissa seasoning: I used Frontier Coop Harissa Seasoning for the chickpeas and dressing. Substitute with traditional harissa paste. Or use: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika + ½ teaspoon garlic powder + ½ teaspoon cumin + ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper or cayenne + salt to taste.

For substitutions, see the blog post.

Nutrition