This Greek-inspired, vegan Mediterranean wheat berry salad recipe is chewy from the wheat berries, crunchy from the orange pepper and cucumber, salty from the kalamata olives and vegan feta, satisfying from the chickpeas and possesses a flavorful lemon oregano vinaigrette that keeps you coming back for more!
And best of all, this Mediterranean wheat berry salad’s texture holds up, even after a day or two of refrigeration. It is great for road trips, packed lunches, work lunches, entertaining, potlucks, picnics, as a side dish, or as a main entree.
Two notes…
・For this wheat berry salad recipe, if you don’t have fresh oregano on hand, you can use dried oregano (1 tsp). It won’t taste quite as “fresh”, but it will still be good.
・While I used prepackaged vegan feta in this salad, you can make your own feta or skip it entirely. While it’s a nice addition, it isn’t completely necessary.
For a variation on this Greek-inspired vegan wheat berry salad recipe, mix in a 15 ounce can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed, of course!) 🙂
Discover more UVK recipes, like Mediterranean Chickpea Eggplant Salad, Seitan Wheat Berry Chili, Balsamic Potato Salad with Fresh Basil, Cherry Tomatoes and Wheat Berries, Middle Eastern Wheat Berry Salad with Kale, Cucumber and Tomato, Sun-Dried Tomato Chickpea Burgers or Lemon Mint Potato Salad! 💚
Lemony Greek Wheat Berry Salad
1¼ cup dry wheat berries
3¼ cup water
⅓ cup chopped red onion
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2-3 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves (OR 1 tsp dried oregano)
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
½ tsp dijon mustard
15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 English cucumber, chopped
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
½ cup whole kalamata olives, pitted
1 cup cubed vegan feta (I used Violife Just like Feta or make your own from scratch) – optional
Salt and black pepper, to taste (I usually add ¼-½ tsp salt)
- 1. In a medium pot, add the wheat berries and water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, and then, turn it down to low heat. Cover with a lid and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until fully cooked through and soft. Then, drain in a colander, rinse with cold water and set aside.
2. In a small skillet, add red onion, garlic and olive oil, and set the burner to high. When it starts to sizzle, immediately turn the burner down to low, and move the onions and garlic around. Sauté over low heat for ~5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Do not allow anything to brown or burn. Remove from heat, and allow to cool.
3. In a blender, add lemon juice, white wine vinegar, oregano, parsley, and dijon mustard. When the onions, garlic and olive oil have cooled, add them to the blender as well. Pulse the blender until the herbs are chopped, but are still recognizable. 2 or 3 quick pulses should do the trick. Taste the lemon oregano vinaigrette, and season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining vegan wheat berry salad ingredients, and then, drizzle it with the lemon oregano vinaigrette. Mix together, taste, and make any adjustments (more salt? more oregano? more lemon juice?). Serve this Mediterranean wheat berry salad as a meal, a side, for a packed lunch, picnic, potluck… the options are many!
