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Wheat Berry Bruschetta Salad

Wheat Berry Bruschetta Salad

Wheat berry salad with homegrown tomatoes and fresh basil is a summer staple in our house.  This hearty whole grain salad is essentially bruschetta in its most basic form.  

summer wheat berry bruschetta salad

Wheat berries are a healthy whole grain

Wheat berries are chewy, flavorful, and an excellent source of many nutrients and fiber.  Because wheat berries are an intact whole grain, they are digested slowly and have a low glycemic index.  That means that they won’t spike your blood sugar when you eat them (unlike refined grains) and you will stay full longer.

uncooked wheat berries for bruschetta salad

Don’t be intimidated by the time it takes to cook the wheat berries.  They can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated until needed.  You can also cook them in larger batches and freeze the wheat berries in salad-sized portions.

Simple Make-Ahead Wheat Berry Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Red Onion

This bruschetta wheat berry salad is a healthy and filling summer meal.  It is delicious when made with just-cooked wheat berries, and also refreshing when prepared with pre-cooked, refrigerated wheat berries.  And because this salad is dairy-free with ingredients that do not wilt quickly, it is a fantastic choice for serving at summer cookouts.

ingredients for whole grain bruschetta salad

Tested and delicious substitutions

  • Cooked quinoa can be used in place of wheat berries for a gluten-free option

Healthy Wheat Berry Bruschetta Salad Recipe

vegan wheat berry bruschetta salad recipe

Wheat Berry Bruschetta Salad

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

A fresh and hearty summer salad made with chewy wheat berries, crisp red onion, and ripe tomatoes and fresh basil.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups uncooked wheat berries
  • 4  tablespoons olive oil
  • 2  tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon  sea salt
  • 4 tomatoes, diced*
  • ½ cup basil, cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
  • ½ red onion, minced

Instructions

To Cook Wheat Berries

  1. Cover uncooked wheat berries with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender (about 40 minutes)
  2. Remove wheat berries from heat, drain in colander, and rinse in cold water
  3. Transfer wheat berries to serving bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and stir until combined.  Either use wheat berries right away or cover and refrigerate until needed

To Assemble Salad

  1. Add diced tomatoes, red onion, and basil to seasoned wheat berries
  2. Toss all salad ingredients until evenly distributed and serve
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 173Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 183mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 9gSugar: 3gProtein: 7g

Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix

*Note: Tomatoes consistently test positive for pesticides in the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program, so I choose to purchase organically raised or pesticide free tomatoes. 

Other healthy and delicious summer recipes:

Whole30 grilled lemon garlic chicken recipe
Whole30 grilled ginger turmeric chicken recipe

Pin recipe for later:

whole grain bruschetta salad

Robin Norman

Sunday 24th of October 2021

Hi, made this salad today and it is delicious! Even my husband gave it a thumbs up for the chewy and nutty wheat berries. The fresh lemon juice brightens and lightens it up. Thanks for the recipe!

Meredith

Saturday 6th of November 2021

Robin - thank you for sharing! I am so glad you and your husband enjoyed the salad - it is one of my favorites!

Natalie

Wednesday 4th of July 2018

This salad looks absolutely delicious, healthy and perfect for the summer. So light and yummy! Can't wait to try this recipe ♥

Meredith

Thursday 5th of July 2018

Thank you Natalie! This salad is one of my favorites to bring to cookouts and potlucks... such a refreshing change from a traditional pasta salad!

Emily Hill

Tuesday 3rd of July 2018

I love using wheat berries in salads. They're so good!

Meredith

Thursday 5th of July 2018

Thanks Emily - I couldn't agree more! I hope you enjoy this salad recipe!

Saima

Monday 2nd of July 2018

Wheat berries! I had never heard of them but they sound so good. And the fact that they are whole grains makes them all the more appealing. We eat so much processed food these days that real, whole food recipes are always welcome!

Meredith

Monday 2nd of July 2018

Saima - The nutty, chewy texture of wheat berries is just delicious! I hope you enjoy them in this summer salad!

Liz

Monday 2nd of July 2018

YUM! I love wheat berries! As a vegetarian, I'm all about the grains, haha. I can't wait to try this!

Meredith

Monday 2nd of July 2018

Thanks Liz! Wheat berries are definitely delicious... and so healthy too! I hope you enjoy this salad.

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