Amanda’s Radish and Pecan Grain Salad

Adapted from Food52

I discovered this salad last spring when I wrote about it for my Whole Foods Market Cooking column. I’ve altered it a bit here so the batch isn’t so large. This is a wonderful spring salad and it keeps pretty well in the fridge for a few days. Try it as a side with a roast chicken or on its own for lunch.

  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup pearl barley
  • 1/4 cup red rice
  • 1/4 cup farro
  • 1/4 cup quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons walnut oil
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 cup spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup flat parsley leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup tarragon leaves, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 pound pecans
  • 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

  • Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the grains and cook until just tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
  • Whisk together the walnut oil and sherry vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside. Add the rest of the ingredients to a large bowl, then add the warm grains and finally the dressing. Toss gently to combine. Season with salt to taste.
  • Quick Tips
  • 1. You can use any combination of mixed grains you like here. I used this particular mix because I needed to finish a few open packages. It should total 1 cup dry, but this can be a combination of 2 or 3 grains if you’d like. If you’d like, make the entire 2 cups called for in the original recipe and save half in the freezer for another time.
  • 2. Amanda’s original recipe called for arugula, which adds a delightful peppery bite. I didn’t have any arugula on hand so I used spinach instead.
  • 3. I have also used dried cherries instead of the cranberries. Delicious!

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4


Leave a Reply

Want to receive updates in your inbox?