Yummy, yummy, yummy salad with black beans, rice, corn and other good stuff. Its' a good idea to prepare the rice and barley ahead of time that way you can just throw the salad together.
Awesome salad! Made the following changes: to the dressing, I added 2 T white sugar, 1 T each lemon and lime juice, 1/2 T Cumin, and some Chipotle hot sauce. To the salad, I used all hulled barley (no rice), 1 sweet onion instead of green, doubled the corn (used frozen), and omitted the lettuce. I also added some garbonzo beans, chopped cucumber, a yellow bell pepper, and some tomatoes. Also followed other reviews about the dressing ingredients ratios. The addition of Chipotle sauce and Cumin give this salad a fantastic smoky taste with a kick! Terrific salad...will definitely make again!
Read MoreAlthough my family enjoys this dish--- I took it to a picnic, and only 2 people even tried it. Most of it got thrown away. So, not a big crowd pleaser, but tasty if you enjoy this kind of dish.
Read MoreAwesome salad! Made the following changes: to the dressing, I added 2 T white sugar, 1 T each lemon and lime juice, 1/2 T Cumin, and some Chipotle hot sauce. To the salad, I used all hulled barley (no rice), 1 sweet onion instead of green, doubled the corn (used frozen), and omitted the lettuce. I also added some garbonzo beans, chopped cucumber, a yellow bell pepper, and some tomatoes. Also followed other reviews about the dressing ingredients ratios. The addition of Chipotle sauce and Cumin give this salad a fantastic smoky taste with a kick! Terrific salad...will definitely make again!
I have made this several times and enjoy it every time. I have also made it for gatherings and have had recipe requests each time. I read the previous reviews before preparing it the first time and so made some modifications - double the vinegar, garlic and pepper flakes and cut the oil in half. I use brown rice or white/brown rice mixed. I cook the grains together and add some boullion to the water. And I use italian parsley instead of cilantro (not a fan of cilantro). Thanks for submitting the recipe!
The recipe makes at least 12 SERVINGS at 1/2 cup. Otherwise, a truly exceptional salad in taste and texture. I prefer to heat the olive oil up to about 200 degree or so and add the garlic and red pepper flakes to it. This technique always adds extra zip to oil soluable flavors in these spices. I also took the advice of those who suggested more vinegar and less oil.
This is an awesome recipe! Beautiful and tastes superb. I have made 2x now over the holiday weekend for different parties. I altered some based upon everyone's feedback...cut oil in half, double vinegar, red pepper flakes and garlic, and add some celery for crunch. This is the best!
What a great combination. I use garbonzo beans instead of barley and left out the kidney beans, b/c I didn't have any. I followed others and 1/2c red wine vinegar and 1/4c olive oil. What a wonderful change from the typical summer potato and macaroni salads.
I enjoyed this salad; my husband thought it was ok. I thought it was better the next day, after it had plenty of time to chill in the fridge. I will make it again.
Very colorful and very good. I used double vinegar and half oil as suggested by other reviewers. At first, I thought it was too much vinegar to my taste but with time the flavors blended well. There was no barley at the grocery store, I replaced it with pearled soft wheat and it worked as well.
This is fantastic. I served it as a side dish today, but I think it is hearty enough to be a main course for a light summer meal! The flavors all work very well together and it is hard to believe all of the nutrition it packs! This will become a staple in our house for certain. I followed the recipe as is with the only alteration being the amount of water I cooked the barley in. The package on my barley indicated a different grain/water ratio to cook so I used those directions to be sure I didn't end up with barley that was too watery.
I love this recipe - I've made it several times. I add more rice (3/4 cup cooked in 2 1/4 cup water) and have some green Tabasco sauce on the table. Everyone always raves!
As some other reviewers have suggested, this salad is lacking in pizzaz. It tastes ok and it is certainly edible but just not spectacular. However I gave this recipe four stars because it is very colorful and eye catching.
This is an very good salad, but needs a bit of a "kick" such as additional herbs or spice. Very good flavors, though, and very colorful. I'll make it again!
It is good, but lacks something in the dressing....needs a bit more kick or flavor.
This is the best salad ever. I thought it had plenty of pazazz & I even used cayenne instead of crushing the red pepper flakes and parsley instead of cilantro. Healthy and deeeeee-lish!!!
This was fairly good. Folks seemed to like it, though personally I was surprised that it didn't have more flavor despite the array of spices in the dressing. I did, however, enjoy it just the same. I used hulled barley instead of pearl barley since it's what the local co-op had. (It's more nutritious too!) They were also out of green onions so I used red onion.
I've been asked to make this so many times that I'm almost getting sick of it. almost. This definitely makes my list of top favorite recipes for its taste, simplicity, and health value. Like others suggested, I, too, doubled the vinegar and halved the oil. Tastes great. Highly recommended.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It is now a summer "must have" for myself and best friend. We used short grain brown rice and a bit more garlic. What a great one dish meal.
This was a good salad. I think it would have been just fine as originally posted, but I did get a little carried away with tinkering. I cooked my own beans (I think they are better than canned -less mushy) I toasted my barley first in a dry skillet and used low sodium chicken broth instead of water to cook it in. I also seasoned the broth with salt, pepper, fennel, and coriander. For my rice I also used half chicken broth to cook it in and also seasoned with the same seasonings as the barley. I addes celery, used fresh corn cut off the cobb and for the red pepper, I made red pepper relish (which you can also buy in a jar). I added crushed fennel seeds and coriander to the salad as a whole and added two tablespoons of lemon juice. I refrigerated over night, let it sit out an hour before serving and then punched the flavor back up at the last minute by adding another two tablespoons of redwine vinegar and salt. I think that next time I would added even more fennel seed, maybe even some chopped fennel aslong with the celery. It did make alot and if you were really only serving 6 people, you could easily cut back by a quarter.
Made the recipe exactly as stated. Everyone LOVED it. The kids even liked it.
Although my family enjoys this dish--- I took it to a picnic, and only 2 people even tried it. Most of it got thrown away. So, not a big crowd pleaser, but tasty if you enjoy this kind of dish.
I used half the olive oil, double the garlic and vinegar (next time, would do a little less vinegar). Also used a scant 1/4 teaspoon cayenne instead of the crushed red pepper. This had excellent flavor and a nice combination of textures. Very healthy, too!
What a great recipe! I took this salad to our church's salad luncheon, and I was told it was the best one on the table! Most everyone there asked for the recipe (men and women alike). I would say it makes a generous 6 servings. I doubled it, and it was a BIG bowl full.
Very interesting. I will make more dressing next time, the beans seem to soak a lot of it up. F.Y.I - I followed the directions in the All Recipe's Cookbook I and noticed that the directions are a little different.
Excellent flavor! Maybe also add a little celery for crunch and I think I could get away with a little less oil.
Wow, what a great combination of flavors. I thought that the red wine vinegar really gave this a nice kick.
Awesome! I guess I could cut the oil, but I prepare it as it's written, and I love it! A big hit with friends and family at bbq get-togethers,and it's a nice change from the old fashioned three bean salad.
I cut the oil in half and recipe still was great.
This recipe is great!! It is my new summer favorite. Thank you for sharing.
Overall, I thought the salad was very good. However, I did find the onion to be too strong for my taste, even though I had chopped it very finely and only used what the recipe called for (1/2 cup). I will probably sautee it for a few minutes before mixing it in next time. Other than that, the salad was wonderful, especially after sitting in the fridge for a few hours. Thank you! EDIT: I just made this recipe for the 3rd time. I decided to substitute the raw onion for onion powder, and I loved the result!
I made this recipe as given and it turned out wonderful. Was a huge hit at my Memorial Day BBQ. I will say that it was better the second day after overnight refrigeration. I would suggest making it a day ahead so the flavors have a lot of time to blend really well. Will definitely be making this one again. Also a note, I served this cold salad along with some fresh fruit. It went exceptionally well with the fresh mango. Will probably dice some up to put directly in the salad next time!!!
This is the best! I didn't have any red kidney beans so I used white kidney's instead. Next time I am going to add navy's and chickpeas. Even my 6 year old twins and 3 year old daughter ate it...amazing! Thanks so much!!
This is strikingly similar to another salad recipe I've been using for a few years--"Quinoa, Corn, and Bean Salad". If anyone's interested in that variation, just substitute a cup of quinoa for the grains, add some chopped tomatoes and celery, and to the dressing add about a tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice and a few tsps of honey--there you pretty much have it. When I made Kerry's version I used quick-cooking barley so I was able to cook it with the rice, a huge time-saver. I did double the vinegar, halve the oil, and I added some lime juice + honey--if you love lime like I do it really adds zip, and the honey takes away any bitterness. I can't get enough of this salad, and I'm so glad to have a variation of an old standby!
This was a fun salad to make! I altered it as suggested by other reviewers, also I put the entire cans of beans in the salad since I didn't want to have any left in the can to deal with. My kids even ate this up-so much that there were no leftovers. My pickiest eater ate four bowls (although my kids aren't afraid of salads & grown up foods) I think this would be good in a wrap and maybe play with the dressing...something with lime would be good too, but it's excellent as is!
I used half the amount of oil and whole cans (15 oz) of beans. Delicious!! Rave reviews at a party! Yum yum yum!
Very good!! I just skipped the cilantro because i don't like it! very tasty and very good for you!
YUM YUM!! I made this Sunday night to eat for lunch all week and it was so yummy! I used all barley (no rice) because I wanted a healthy grain salad. I omitted the kidney beans because I don't like them. I also didn't have red wine vinegar so I used balsamic vinegar, and cut back on the oil and it was still good. Very fresh flavors. Even hubby liked it! Thank you!!!!!
Very good and light tasting salad. I used all barley, (no rice), and omitted black beans and cilantro, (didn't have any). This recipe will be used many times this summer.
This was edible but a little bland. It reminded me a lot of "Black Bean and Couscous Salad" only not as flavorful and yummy. It made decent leftovers for lunch, both warm and cold.
This was great. I used all white rice because I had a lot of leftovers and I cut the oil in half. It's better made in advance so the flavors can set in.
I'll make this again. My husband likes to add hot sauce, or cayanne pepper to so many things but this salad is hot enough I know he'll enjoy the heat, it's not too hot for me so good in that dept. I added the premixed salad approx 11/2 cups to the dish rather than salad leaves to the bowl it sits in, also celery which gives it a little crunch and nice mix to the dish. I had some fresh basil so that too rounded it off beautifully.
The crowd at last night's neighborhood BBQ gobbled it up, went back for seconds and thirds, and many asked for the recipe. I doubled the recipe and brought home an empty bowl. This is one of those salads that allows you to use different beans and vegetables without comprising its good flavor. The dressing is key here. I added more red wine vinegar, 1 T. white sugar, some fresh key lime juice, lots of cumin, freshly ground black pepper, sea salt, and cayenne (rather than pepper flakes). Definitely wanted lots of color, so I used yellow and orange peppers, minced celery, and bright red tomatoes. I made this 24 hours in advance, and it not only held up beautifully, but the wait improved flavor immensely. I added a lot of fresh cilantro and chopped fresh tomatoes at the last minute. It's such a fresh-tasting, pretty salad. Don't be afraid to spice it up, and go hog wild with various types of beans. Note: If you make this salad the day before, it'll really soak up the dressing overnight, so take that into consideration.
We love this salad. I've been making it for several years now, and we like it since it's healthy and delicious. Perfect for summertime. I just use a whole can each of the kidney and black beans and corn. Also, I use only barley instead of the brown rice, and not as much as it calls for. Yum!
This salad was absolutely fantastic! We had our 2 boys birthdays combined over the weekend, did a buffet style dinner with 14 adults and 7 kids...almost the entire salad disappeared (to my dismay, I was looking forward to leftovers!). My only changes: used italian parsley instead of cilantro, doubled the vinegar as suggested and cut down the oil, it was great! I also didn't use the lettuce leaves. I think next time I will try a wild rice blend instead of long grain white. Great dish, will definitely make again!
Wonderful salad. Made this dish as a side for a family BBQ and everyone, including the children, enjoyed this dish. I used brown basmati rice instead of the white long grain to add a nutty flavour which worked out very well. I also used pot barley instead of pearl because I like the larger grain.
I've been making this for years. Great at potlucks (on 'international' day for themed parties). This is fantastic with quesadillas. I like a little extra cilantro. Have also made with wild rice (for extra nutty flavor and more color). Whip salad in 'bullet' or processor for a thicker dressing if you want it to stick a little more to the grains.
This was GREAT! Everyone loved it. I did make some changes: omitted the lettuce, doubled vinegar, doubled garlic, added a can of italian diced tomatoes, used regular onion instead of green, used dried beans - soaked and boiled without salt, halved the oil. It was awesome! Even my 2 year old couldn't get enough. :-)
This will tickle your tastebuds and wake up your mouth! A very flavorful salad with a kick, and it presents a colorful and inviting appearance. Perfect for a pot luck. Do use less oil though.
I followed the recipe exactly and it was a big hit with my healthy food friends. This one is a keeper!
this was pretty good, it wasn't spectacular, but i would make it again with some changes. i forgot to do less oil like everyone suggested, i think it would help alot. i added some crumbled feta cheese and it was pretty delicious.
This is a colorful and delicious salad. I was looking for ways to increase whole grains in my diet and I found a winner right off the bat. It is better the next day. I did decrease the oil to 1/4 c. I am going to experiment with other beans, spices and vinegars in the future just to see how they would taste.
I have made this dish for a Church picnic and for a neighborhood party and it is always the first to be eaten. I added cumin instead of chili powder and used ground ancho and chipolte chile pepper in place of the red pepper flakes. I also made the dressing the night before and didn't add it until about an hour before serving. Yummy!
Yummy!
oh yeah, this salad is AWESOME. i used brown rice and added a little more garlic and a dash of cumin as others had suggested. it's so good, i can't wait to serve it for a party tomorrow! I really think people will love it! :)
Excellent, healthy, beautiful to look at, and not difficult. Served with grilled chicken for the carnivores, and hard boiled eggs for me. Next time, or with the leftovers, I think I'll try adding some crumbeld goat's mil feta cheese. A wonderful recipe. Thanks.
Delicious. This was a big hit at the father's day barbeque. I used 1 cup of rice as I didn't have the other grain and half the chili powder as my mother hates spices. When I make it at home I'll use all the chili. Very good. Thanks!
My family really enjoyed this healthy recipe. The only item I didn't have was the fresh cilantro, and used a tsp. or so of dried instead.
I wasn't crazy about this until I served it on a bed of lettuce to make it a meal. then it was great!
Was good. Had no corna dn substituted mirin and a little agave for the red wine vinegar. Also left out the salt but it needed it after. Used Kasha instead of barley cause I didnt have any. Would make this again.
Used about 1/3 the amount of olive oil that is called for. Turned out great! Made this for a pot luck at work. Got lots of compliments and none left over. Thanks!
We love this recipe! It is ALWAYS a hit when we bring it! I use brown rice to make it even healthier!
I make this with brown/wild rice combo (with a bit of cumin seed) instead of the barley and white rice. The cumin blends nicely with the herbs. For the brown rice I use Alton Brown's Baked Brown Rice recipe on Foodnetwork website. To that I add: 1/4 tsp. cumin seed
I made this with no changes except when I got my peppers out they were mush, so no peppers. I have made several other recipes like this one, and we like another recipe better than this one. The peppers wouldn't have changed anything for us. It was kind of a texture thing for me.
Delicious salad! I subbed chickpeas for the kidney beans which I thought I had but didn't, and it turned out great! Next time, I will definitely cut the oil down by half. ***This salad makes a huge amount...surely more than 6 servings. The leftovers make a delicious lunche throughout the week.
I have been making this recipe for a couple years now since I saw it on allrecipes and it is fabulous! I have reduced the amount of olive oil to 1/3 cup over the years but it tastes great both ways. This is a great cold salad but what I found to be the best is to combine this with some canned diced tomatoes then top with cheese and microwave it for a couple minutes. This is now my staple lunch and it is so good and healthy!! My family also uses this in their burritos with taco meat or as a topping for their nachos. It lasts a week in the fridge. I can not say enough about this recipe!!
As written this was an okay salad. I thought the dressing was way too bland. I added more salt, wine vinegar and 1/2 lime juiced for more zip. Also added 1 large avocado, 2 small garden tomatoes and some sliced up celery for some crunch. I think adding some additional items not only made it taste better, but also made it look more festive for the holidays.
My daughter-in-law referred me to this recipe, I loved it when she made it, but of course I had to alter a few things. Firstly I skip the lettuce, add chick peas to the ingredients, as well as sliced black olives and on occasion Feta cheese. Regretfully I don't get to make the recipe too often due to the fact anything less than 6 servings doesn't warrant opening all those cans. BUT for potluck, large family dinners, etc...it's great. Everyone compliments me on the recipe. I do find though after a few days in the fridge it loses it's zest for life. A healthy and filling salad.
I wish I had looked at comments before making as I agree it needed a little more "kick" for our taste but love it anyway.I did add a little more vinegar for this time & will definitely cut oil & add more vinegar. But what a great nutrient packed dish! I had some leftover Uncle Bens long grain rice so used that instead of cooking more.
Love this salad with grilled chicken, salmon or pork. Love it even by itself. Great side dish! Use a mixed rice & quinoa blend instead of the pearl barley and rice. Awesome!
Subtly spicy. I like the variety of texture and color. I did follow another reviewer's suggestion and doubled the vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. I also halved the oil. I took this to a work function, mixing the salad ingredients and the dressing ingredients separately the night before and then combining them that morning.
My family loved this recipe! I omitted the bulgar and doubled the rice, using brown vs white rice. I also omitted the corn, but used an additional (green) pepper. Next time I will make a bit more of the sauce (1.5x the called for ingredients) just because we loved it so much!
I made this with no changes except when I got my peppers out they were mush, so no peppers. I have made several other recipes like this one, and we like another recipe better than this one. The peppers wouldn't have changed anything for us. It was kind of a texture thing for me.
