Asian Wheat Berry Salad
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This Asian Wheat Berry Salad recipe features a vibrant rainbow of colors and textures, and is absolutely delicious! A perfect make-ahead salad, it tastes even better the next day and is perfect for leftovers and take-along lunches!
I know what you may be thinking. “Wheat berries. Ummm. Boring.” But I’m telling you what, it’s anything but boring – it is downright delicious! Really, you just need to try it. Change the name if it makes it more appealing to you. Pretend it’s rice. Heck, pretend it’s chocolate. Whatever it takes to make you try it. Because once you do, you will be very pleasantly surprised. This Asian Wheat Berry Salad is so tasty, even my daughter at age two devoured it when I made it a few years ago for the first time. Now if a picky toddler likes this salad, so you will you!
This is the third recipe now that I’ve experimented with using wheat berries. The first one was my Mega Healthy Wheat Berry Salad and the second was my Mexican Wheat Berry Salad with Chipotles and Toasted Walnuts. Both were so good that I wanted to experiment making a wheat berry salad with an Asian flair.
That was a such a hit in our family that I next proceeded to make a Greek Wheat Berry Salad.
It was another hit!
Why I Love this Asian Wheat Berry Salad
- It’s healthy. Wheat berries are whole grains and are an excellent source of dietary fiber, B vitamins, and protein. This wheat berry salad is also packed with an array of nutrient-rich veggies.
- A small serving of this salad leaves you feeling satisfied (ie, a great diet food if you’re trying to shed a few pounds).
- It tastes awesome! And that’s important, because no matter how healthy something is, if it doesn’t taste good forget it. This wheat berry salad is not only visually beautiful with a vibrant rainbow of colors and has a great interplay of textures, it’s also thoroughly delicious.
Here’s the proof of that last claim: Several years ago when I developed this recipe I sat down with my first serving of it to have for lunch. A minute later my then two year old daughter climbed up next to me, asked for a bite, and before I knew it she commandeered the entire bowl!
Asian Wheat Berry Salad Recipe
Let’s get started!
There are two basic kinds of wheat berries: Hard and Soft. You’ll need soft wheat berries for this recipe which can be a little more challenging to find. Whereas I’ve been able to find hard wheat berries in the bulk sections of some large grocery stores, I’ve only found soft wheat berries at health food stores. If you have a hard time finding them locally you can buy them online for a good price. This particular brand is non-GMO, non-irradiated, is Certified Kosher Parve, and these wheat berries can be sprouted.
To prepare the wheat berries, let them soak overnight. Then drain and rinse. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a small pot. Add the salt and the wheat berries. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the wheat berries are soft but still have some “bite.” The time will vary depending on the age of your wheat berries and whether you fermented them (see below) but plan on 20-30 minutes. Drain. Set aside and let cool a little.
NOTE: I like to ferment my grains before cooking with them (more easily digested, the vitamins/minerals are more bio-available, and the phytic acid is neutralized). To ferment the wheat berries simply soak them in water (make sure they are completely submerged under water) at room temperature for 2-3 days until the water fizzes when you jiggle the bowl. Then drain and rinse and proceed with cooking the wheat berries (they will cook faster having soaked this long).
Prep your veggies. Cut/chop/slice/julienne them according to your preference.
Next make the dressing. You’ll need hoisin sauce for this. You can find it in any Asian grocery store. If not, you can buy it here online. If you have time, for the absolute BEST flavor results we recommend making your own hoisin sauce. Check out our recipe for authentic homemade Hoisin Sauce!
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Place the cooked wheat berries in a large mixing bowl with all the veggies. The wheat berries can still be warm, but not hot.
Pour that delicious dressing over it and stir to combine.
The longer it sits the better it will taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving or overnight.
This salad can be served cold but we enjoy it best served at room temperature.
Enjoy!
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Asian Wheat Berry Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw soft wheat berries (can substitute grain of choice, e.g. quinoa, spelt, millet, sorghum, etc)
- 3/4 cup julienned carrots
- 3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
- 3/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1/3 cup chopped water chestnuts
- For the vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- Homemade Hoisin Sauce (click for recipe)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- To prepare the wheat berries, let them soak overnight. Then drain and rinse. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a small pot. Add the salt and the wheat berries. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the wheat berries are soft but still have some "bite." The time will vary depending on the age of your wheat berries and whether you fermented them (see below) but plan on 20-30 minutes. Drain. Set aside and let cool a little.See NOTE about fermentation.
- Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Place all the vegetables and cooked wheat berries in a large mixing bowl (the wheat berries can be warm but not hot). Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving or overnight. Can be served cold but we like it best at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
First published on The Daring Gourmet January 5, 2015
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Thank you. I did just that. I think I will soak them the next time. I cannot wait to make the Mega Salad also.
Okay, sounds wonderful! I’m ready to make it but….
I have ‘hard white wheat berries’ I found at my local grocery store. I then went to our food co-op and found ‘red wheat berries’ they think.
Is it a must that one uses the soft berries as opposed to the hard? What is the difference?
I had an over the moon wheat berry salad with hot beets and smooth and creamy goat cheese along with lots of other good stuff!
I am hooked on wheat berries!
Hi Colleen, there will be some difference in texture as hard wheat berries have a higher protein and gluten content. The main difference though will be that the hard wheat berries will take longer to cook. You’ll just need to keep simmering them, checking on them, until they’re soft but still chewy.
Kimberly,
I agree that we clearly have a different position and that this is not the proper forum for this discussion. Thanks for the recipe, though. Do try adding sunflower nuts sometime; I think it really adds something.
You bet, Matt, thanks for the sunflower tip!
Kimberly, thanks for your response. While I agree that EVOO is better, in general, than other oil choices, it’s still oil and, as such, 100% fat. Dr. Greger (nutritionfacts.org), Dr. Barnard (pcrm.org), Dr. Esselstyn, Dr. McDougall and Dr. Ornish would all agree that minimizing fat and oil is a priority, no matter what the source.
Matt, there is a relatively small body of clinical research that suggests that healthy fats are bad. You’ve probably noticed that many of the doctors making these claims are citing the same few papers or their own clinical/anecdotal observations (e.g, Dr. Esselstyn). On the contrary, the greater body of research largely draws the opposite conclusions. The subject of fats is just one of those topics for which, depending on the position you take, you can find research to support either argument. Even though we take a different position on the topic of fats, thank you for enjoying the recipe and providing feedback. Kind regards, Kimberly
I have made this twice and really like it. I have to say, though, I was really put off by the 5 Tablespoons of oil in the dressing. The secon time I made it I did the dressing in the blender and used just 1 Tbsp of the roasted sesame oil, then subbed a quarter block of soft tofu for the other 4 Tablespoons of oil. To add a little flavor back I also added 1/4 cup of sunflower nuts to the salad.
Hi Matt, I’m glad you’ve been enjoying this salad. Keep in mind that 3 of the 5 tablespoons are extra virgin olive oil – unheated, raw and wonderfully healthy. No other oil has been as extensively studied as olive oil in terms of its health benefits. It’s been a core component of the Mediterranean diet for centuries. I always recommend being very choosy of the brand (buy locally pressed whenever possible) to make sure you’re getting a quality product.
1cup Palouse brand hard wheatberries cook in about 20 minutes in unsalted water. Hard wheatberries have more protein and work fine in salads. I don,t understand why others say it takes a long time to cook. It doesn’t.
I think you’re confusing those with soft wheat berries. Hard wheat berries require at least 1 hour of simmering otherwise it’s like eating chewy rocks. Any online search you do on how to cook hard wheat berries will say the same thing.
Hi, love this salad! I have made it fours times and every time my friends and family love it! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Sandra, thanks so much for the feedback!
This looks great, but I am diabetic and really watch carb intake…any ideas on how much.carbs would be in the wheat berries?
Hi Sandra, I just googled how many carbs are in one cup of uncooked wheat berries and it’s 132 grams. So just divide that by however many portions you’ll serve from one batch. Something to also consider is that wheat berries are high in dietary fiber as are the veggies in this recipe, which help slow down the absorption of the carbs. Still, you’ll probably eat smaller portions of this salad, so one batch will stretch pretty far.
Hi Kimberly, We love your blog and that you like our products! We were wondering how do you know what kind of wheat berry to use in a salad? Soft White, Hard White and Hard Red all have unique qualities for making different flours but are they distinct when using in salads as well? Thanks!
Thank you, Palouse Brand, and it’s so nice of you to visit – welcome! I prefer soft wheat berries for cooking in general because they soften up nicely while still maintaining a bit of chewiness. With hard wheat berries it seems no matter how long you boil them they remain quite firm and much chewier than the soft wheat berries. So for cooking I prefer soft and for making flour I prefer hard. I haven’t yet tried soft red wheat berries (even more challenging to find than regular soft berries). Thank you for great products – keep them coming! :) Best, Kimberly
Have to find something healthy for the boys as well…:)
Fortunately our 2 year old daughter isn’t as picky as our son. Our son is 4 years old and for him bribery works best ;) He’s willing to eat practically anything insanely healthy as long as he can have a tiny serving of ice cream afterwards! I figure if he’s willing to drink a glass of freshly squeezed vegetable juice (organic kale, cabbage, celery, carrots, apple) in exchange for 2 tablespoons of ice cream it’s well worth it ;)
I made the salad today and it was great. I posted it on my blog as well, including pictures of my own little girl eating it. :) I thought it was really funny that she enjoyed this salad just as much as your daughter did. I really was amazed.
Hi Adina, I just visited your blog post – wonderful! I know, I’m still amazed myself that both of our daughters were willing to eat this and that they both enjoyed it so much. A pat on the back for both of us :)
I love wheat berries. I already tried your Mexican wheat berry salad recipe and it was excellent! Really looking forward to this one. Love your creativity, thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks so much, Sheila, I’m glad you enjoyed it! I think you’ll really love this one. Happy cooking!
Okay, you’ve convinced me to try wheat berries :) This salad really does look and sound good! Thanks for the recommendation and link to buy them, I honestly wouldn’t have known where to start looking!
Awesome, I’m glad I’ve convinced you, Sandra! :) Even someone who isn’t into “health food” will enjoy this salad, it has such a great flavor. Happy eating!
This salad would certainly change my mind about eating wheat berries. And given what you’ve said about your Palouse brand, it sounds like it would be worth ordering that brand. I’ve been doing a lot of nutrition research lately, and from what I understand, soaking the wheat berries would make them more digestible (that’s definitely true for beans that have been soaked for 24 hours).
I would imagine that’s true, Susan. Speaking of your health and nutrition research, I’m going to be completely revamping my homepage and adding a new category to my blog (featuring my physician husband) that I think will interest you. I don’t want to say too much until it’s closer to the time, but I am VERY excited about it!
Hi Kimberly,
The salad looks amazing, I would definitely like to try it. I am not sure what wheat berries are in German, I couldn’t really find a translation. Do you know Ebly? Could that be it? If not, I’ll try with Dinkelkörner, I have some laying around.
Hi Adina, thanks so much! Wheat berries are Weizen Beeren. But you could absolutely use Dinkelkörner as well (spelt berries). I LOVE spelt, they have such a wonderful flavor. Liebe Grüße an Deutschland! :) -Kimberly