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This Warm Wheat Berry Salad with pea sprouts, spring onions, and bacon is perfect for the transitional months between winter and spring. It’s warm to counteract the cold nights, but it’s still light and balanced; not heavy at all. It’s perfect as either a main dish, or as a side.
Warm Salads? Isn’t that blasphemy?
I know we typically think of salads as cool and refreshing, but salads can be served warm too! The definition of salad is extremely loose, so don’t be afraid to switch things up. Think of this salad like a cross between a grain salad and a warm German potato salad. You’ve got an acidic bite from the dressing, chewiness from the wheat berries, meatiness from the bacon, and hint of sweetness from the pea shoots. This salad has it all!
Farmers Market Ingredients and Substitutions
Pea Shoots
Did you know the pea plant itself is edible? Pea shoots or pea sprouts are another delicious way to enjoy the pea plant. As you may have guessed, the plants taste similar to the peas they produce, but they do have more grassy flavor. They’re in season at the farmers market only during the spring months, so take full advantage while you can.
If you don’t see pea shoots at the farmers market, feel free to substitute with sugar snap peas or snow peas.
Spring Onions
There’s a common misconception that spring onions and scallions are the same thing, but they are actually slightly different types of onions. Of course, scallions would work here too. Onions provide a pungent bite to the salad.
Tips and Tricks
Wheat berries can take a surprisingly long time to cook to a perfectly chewy bite. For this reason, I recommend cooking up a large batch, and then storing the cooked wheat berries in the freezer. I recommend freezing them in 1-2 cup servings, that way you only need to thaw what you need for the salad.
STOVETOP
Cooking wheat berries on the stovetop is easy, but it does take time. After rinsing your wheat berries, add them to a pot of boiling stock or cooking liquid; the ratio should be 3:1 liquid to wheat berries. Simmer the wheat berries until soft and tender. The kernels will be chewy, but they should not be hard or crunchy in the middle. This process can take over an hour for 1 cup of dried wheat berries to cook.
INSTANT POT (PRESSURE COOKER)
Using an Instant Pot is my recommended method for cooking wheat berries. This will cut your cook time in half when compared to the stovetop method (30-45 minutes as opposed to over an hour). The ratios will stay the same with this method.
Don’t be alarmed if there is still liquid in the Instant Pot after the cook time has been reached and the pressure has been released. Any excess liquid can be drained as long as you are happy with the texture.
Serving Suggestions
This Warm Wheat Berry Salad can be served as either a main dish or a side. It’s perfect as a make ahead dish for a potluck or barbeque, as the wheat berries help absorb the dressing and the salad becomes even more flavorful. Plus, it’s easy to make a huge batch and scoop out individual portions.
What about the leftovers?
Leftover Warm Wheat Berry Salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. This is an excellent salad for meal prep throughout the week, as the flavors will continue to develop with time.
Warm Wheat Berry Salad
This Warm Wheat Berry Salad with pea sprouts, spring onions, and bacon is perfect for the transitional months between winter and spring. Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 cups cooked wheat berries
- 1 bunch pea shoots, roughly chopped (approximately 2 cups)
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a high walled saute pan, cook the bacon pieces until crispy. Start on a low temperature to get the crispiest bacon. Use a slotted spoon to strain out the bacon and set aside.
- Add the bacon into the bacon fat in the saute pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Add the wheat berries, and toss in the bacon fat and garlic mixture.
- Once the wheat berries are warmed through, remove the salad from the heat, and add the pea shoots and spring onions, and allow the residual heat of the wheat berries to gently wilt the vegetables. Mix in the juice and zest of the lemon, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve while warm.
