Kickstart your weight-loss journey now—with 6 months free!Learn More

Barley tabbouleh with chickpeas

6

Points®

Total time: 27 min • Prep: 10 min • Cook: 17 min • Serves: 2 • Difficulty: Easy

Tabbouleh is a lemony Middle Eastern salad traditionally made with bulgur and lots of chopped fresh parsley, though you can substitute mint or basil if you wish. For a change of pace, we use pearl barley instead. Like white rice and brown rice, pearl barley differs from regular barley in that it has had its outer husk and bran layers removed, which helps it cook faster and gives it a softer texture. This recipe is easily doubled and keeps well in the refrigerator for up to four days—perfect for packing for lunch and a sure-fire way of ensuring you keep on track in the middle of the day.

Ingredients

Vegetable broth

0.667 cup(s)

Uncooked pearl barley

0.333 cup(s)

Canned chickpeas

7.75 oz

Yellow bell pepper(s)

0.5 medium

Grape tomatoes

12 medium

Fresh parsley

0.333 cup(s)

Uncooked red onion(s)

0.333 cup(s), sliced

Fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp

Olive oil

1 tsp

Black pepper

0.125 tsp

Reduced fat feta cheese

1 oz

Instructions

1

Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the barley. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the barley is softened, 10–12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Transfer the barley to a large bowl.

2

Add the chickpeas, bell pepper, tomatoes, parsley, onion, lemon juice, oil, and pepper; toss to combine. Sprinkle the salad with the feta cheese and serve while still slightly warm. Or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days and serve chilled. Yields 1 1/2 cups per serving.

People Also Like

Join the #1 doctor-recommended weight-loss program*

*Based on a 2023 survey by Cerner Enviza of 500 doctors who recommend weight-loss programs to patients.