Vegan wheat berry salad is a hearty dish that's loaded with fresh vegetables and it's tossed in a tangy, oil-free lemon tahini dressing. This recipe is easy to make in less than one hour and it's great for meal prepping or to make for dinner when you don't feel like turning on the oven!
This vibrant vegan salad is extremely filling and satisfying! It's filled with chewy wheat berries, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onions, tender artichoke hearts, salty olives, and the most delicious lemon tahini sauce.
I love this fresh summer-inspired salad because it's an easy way to eat lots of fresh vegetables and it's customizable to make with what you have on hand. It's easy to make in less than one hour and you can eat it for lunch, a light dinner, or as a side dish to any main course. You could also use this recipe to meal prep healthy lunches to eat during the week!
What Are Einkorn Wheat Berries?
A wheat berry is an unprocessed whole grain or kernel that has been gently cleaned without removing the bran and germ. Einkorn grows in the outer husk of the kernel. Wheat berries taste very similar to brown rice, they're slightly chewy with a nutty, earthy flavor. Every ¼ cup contains 9 grams of plant-based protein!
Step by Step Instructions
First, cook the wheat berries in a pot on the stove. While they're cooking, prep the vegetables and make the lemon tahini sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, dijon mustard, water, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Transfer the cooked einkorn berries to a large mixing bowl and add the chopped vegetables. Drizzle the sauce over the top and toss to combine.
Serving Suggestions
You can eat this salad for lunch or as a light dinner, or you can serve it as a side dish to any of the following recipes:
- Smoky Chickpea Lavash Wrap
- Zucchini Avocado Grilled Cheese
- Roasted Butternut Squash Pita
- Lentil Sloppy Joes
How Long Does it Last in the Refrigerator?
Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Can I Freeze it?
This salad is best enjoyed fresh. Cooked plain einkorn berries can be frozen and defrosted, but the fresh ingredients in the salad (tomatoes, cucumber, etc) don't freeze and defrost well.
Recipe Variations
This salad is easily customizable based on what vegetables or grains that you have on hand. Any of the following recipe variations are good options to try:
- Add Plant-Based Protein: Mix in (1) 14 oz can (1 ½ cups) cooked chickpeas, great northern beans, black-eyed peas, or lentils with the wheat berries and vegetables to increase the protein in the salad.
- Add Fresh Greens: Stir in 3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach, massaged kale, or thinly sliced swiss chard to add a pop of color to the salad. This is an easy way to get your daily greens in!
- Use a Different Dressing: If you're not a fan of lemon tahini dressing, this basil pistachio kale dressing would be incredibly tasty to use instead.
- Add Vegan Feta: You could add chunks of homemade or store-bought vegan feta cheese (I use Violife vegan feta) to the salad for a tangy twist on the recipe!
Substitutions & FAQ
- Wheat Berry Substitutions: You can substitute brown rice, quinoa, farro, or orzo for the einkorn berries.
- Lemon Substitution: Fresh lime juice can be used instead of lemon juice.
- Red Onion Substitute: If red onions are too spicy for you, you can use sliced green onions or chives instead for a milder flavor.
- Should I serve this salad warm or cold? You can eat this salad warm, but it's best served chilled.
- Gluten-Free: To make this vegan wheat berry salad gluten-free, you need to substitute a gluten-free option like quinoa or rice for the wheat berries.
Success Tips
- Try to cut all the salad ingredients into bite-sized pieces so it's easy to eat.
- If your tahini is super thick, you may need to add an additional 1 tbsp of water to the dressing to help it break down.
- If you use a can or jar of artichokes, I like to gently squeeze each artichoke over the sink to get rid of any excess brine. The salad doesn't need the extra liquid or salt.
- If you don't want to wait for the salad to chill in the fridge, you can eat it warm.
- Store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Want More Vegan Salad Recipes?
Quinoa Spinach Salad with Mango Dressing
Vegan Summer Wheat Berry Salad
Equipment
- Medium Pot
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Wheat Berry Salad
- 1 cup uncooked einkorn wheat berries
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 medium cucumber sliced and quartered
- (1) 14 oz can artichoke hearts in water roughly chopped
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup pitted olives sliced
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp himalayan pink sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Combine 2 cups water and 1 cup einkorn wheat berries in a medium pot. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Let the wheat berries cook until tender and all the water has been absorbed. It should take about 30-35 minutes.
- While the wheat berries are cooking, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice and quarter the cucumber, roughly chop the artichoke hearts, dice the red onion, and slice the olives.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp tahini, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp water, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper until smooth. Â
- Transfer the cooked wheat berries to a large mixing bowl and add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, artichoke hearts, and olives. Drizzle the lemon tahini dressing over the salad and use a large spoon to gently stir to combine.
- You can eat the salad warm or put it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Notes
- Try to cut all the salad ingredients into bite-sized pieces so it's easy to eat.Â
- If your tahini is super thick, you may need to add an additional 1 tbsp of water to the dressing to help it break down.Â
- If you use a can or jar of artichokes, I like to gently squeeze each artichoke over the sink to get rid of any excess brine. The salad doesn't need the extra liquid or salt.Â
- If you don't want to wait for the salad to chill in the fridge, you can eat it warm.Â
- Store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.Â
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally shared on 4/30/16, but I updated it with new pictures on 8/6/20.
I keep hearing of these wheat berries, but I've yet to try them! If they taste like brown rice though, then I know I'll love them! I really like the idea of using these in a salad too, almost like quinoa. I just recently saw them in the bulk section at my grocery store, so I'll have to pick some up the next time I go grocery shopping so I can try this!