Are you wondering what to do with that package of wheat berries? Try my latest discovery—wheat berry salad with roasted sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, walnuts, veggies, and creamy Asian-inspired ginger soy dressing. This delicious vegan recipe is brimming with flavors and textures and filled with wholesome plant-based ingredients and no added oil.
Initially, I didn't start out making a wheat berry salad recipe, but it didn't take long to get inspired. Wheat berries are easy to cook and have a nutty flavor. They'd make a great substitute for rice in Buffalo chickpea bowls, lemony freekeh salad, or cranberry quinoa salad. Something to explore for sure.
Table of Contents
What are Wheat Berries?
Wheat berries are the ultimate whole grain and the original source of all wheat products before any refinement occurs. They are the edible part of the wheat kernel, with only the husk removed. That means you get all the bran, germ, and endosperm in one little grain, equaling powerful nutrition for every calorie. And if anyone asks, 'Where’s your protein?', as they tend to do with vegan diets, just answer back, 'In this pot of wheat berries, man, let's eat!'.
Ingredients and Notes
Wheat berries. You’ll find wheat berries in a few varieties and colors (red and white). You may have passed right by them, thinking they were brown rice. I'll give you basic directions for cooking them, but be sure to read the package instructions.
Sweet potatoes. I used a large sweet potato, about 2 cups, after peeling and cubing. Purple sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or other types of yams are great alternatives.
Almond butter. This is the creamy base for the dressing. Peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, or other nut butter can also be used.
Green onions. Also known as scallions. Use diced red onion or shallots as a substitute.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
I recommend using kale instead of lettuce for a salad you can eat over several days. To soften the kale, massage it in half the dressing and let it rest for a few minutes.
How to Cook Wheat Berries
Because wheat berries are hard, they will take longer to cook than some other grains, quinoa, or rice. No worries, we have sweet potatoes to roast, dressing to make, and lettuce to chop.
Here’s a flexible guideline on how to cook them:
- Rinse. Be sure to rinse your wheat berries, just like you should any grain, quinoa (definitely), rice, bean, or lentil. It’s good practice. It removes dust or other debris and allows you a moment to remove any suspicious wheat berries before they make it into the pot.
- Toast. Heat a medium cooking pot, add the wheatberries, and toast them for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn. Toasting brings out the nutty flavor of whole wheat kernels.
- Add liquid. Use a ratio of 3 cups of water for every cup of wheat berries. You can add a pinch of salt to help further develop the flavor, but that’s not required.
- Cook. Bring the water and wheat berries to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover the pan. After 30 minutes, start checking for doneness. How do you check for doneness, you ask? Taste them. Cooked wheat berries should be tender but chewy.
- Drain. If there is excess liquid after cooking, just drain that off.
Cook's Tip. Add more water if necessary. The total cooking time depends on several factors, including the type of wheat berries, age, precise heat, and your pan. A good rule of thumb is 35 minutes, but I've had it take up to 60.
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How to Make Ginger Soy Dressing
This creamy dressing is simple to make and so delicious that it's worth adding to your weekly meal prep. Prepare the garlic and ginger, then mix everything in a small bowl. Consider doubling the batch—it will last about a week in the fridge.
Roasted Sweet Potato Tips
- Diced sweet potato measurements are notoriously difficult to judge. This is a salad; there's no need to be precise.
- The trick to getting your potatoes to roast evenly throughout every piece is to cut them somewhat uniformly and a bit on the small side. And don’t mistake uniformity for the true nature of sweet potatoes—they have weird shapes. We’re not trying to make a magazine picture.
- I recommend lining your baking tray with parchment paper or a baking mat. I still have a worn-torn baking tray from the first time I made loaded sweet potatoes. Functionally, the baking tray still works, but the stains and scratches annoy me. Besides, I hate the scrubbing.
How to Finish Wheat Berry Salad
Mix the salad veggies (lettuce, onions, and carrots), the dried cranberries and walnuts, the roasted sweet potatoes, and the cooked wheat berries in a large bowl. Add the dressing or serve it on the side.
Storage
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container. If the salad is dressed and you've made it with lettuce, eat it the next day or 2 days if made with kale. For 'naked' or salad without dressing, it will last a few days longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make wheat berries in the Instant Pot, add 1 cup of wheat berries to 3 cups of water. Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes and use a quick release.
Cook 1 cup of wheat berries with 3 cups of water. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 8-10 hours.
It isn't necessary to soak wheatberries before cooking, although an overnight soak might reduce cooking time by a few minutes. If you soak them, rinse them and replace the water before cooking.
Yes. Place cooked wheat berries in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for 3 months. Thaw and reheat with added water.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 cup wheat berries - rinsed, see notes
- 2 cups sweet potatoes - peeled and cubes, 1-2 sweet potatoes
- 4 cups romaine lettuce - shredded or chopped, see notes
- 1 large carrot - diced small or grated
- 3 medium green onions - sliced thin
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup walnuts - chopped
- 2 tablespoons almond butter - can also use peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 clove clove - minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon ginger - grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Heat a medium pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed wheat berries and toast them, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
- Add 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt to the pot and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover, and simmer the wheat berries for 30-35 minutes. Taste and continue cooking, adding more water as needed until the kernels are tender and chewy. Drain any excess liquid after cooking.
- While the wheat berries cook, preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are fork-tender.
- To make the dressing, whisk together the almond butter, rice vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, and maple syrup in a small bowl. If the dressing is too thick, add a bit of water.
- Prep the lettuce, carrot, scallions, walnuts, and cranberries and place them in a large salad bowl.
- Add the cooked wheat berries and sweet potatoes. Mix well.
- Toss with the dressing or serve it on the side.
Notes
- Wheat berries come in several colors (red and white) and varieties. Check the package instructions for the recommended wheat berry-to-water ratio and cooking times. Cooking time also depends on the age of the wheat berries, accurate temperature, and type of pan.
- Stick to more hearty greens like Romaine lettuce, endive, or kale. They tend to hold up better once the salad is mixed and dressed.
- To cook wheat berries in the Instant Pot, cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes using a quick release. Or cook in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours. Use the same ratio of 1 cup wheat berries to 3 cups water.
- If you can’t find wheat berries, farro or bulgur are good substitutes. Quinoa is the best gluten-free substitute for this salad.
- Add other veggies, such as diced cucumbers or red pepper, and make this salad your own.
- If made with lettuce and mixed with dressing, leftovers should be eaten the next day (a day longer for kale). Without added dressing, the salad lasts in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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