Pistachio Gremolata with Arugula + Barley

This Pistachio Gremolata with Arugula is a great fresh side or condiment to pair with protein or other veggies to brighten up your meal. Add barley to make it a fast more filling main dish. Jump to Recipe

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes buy too many greens. And pesto is great and all, but I wanted to do something without a lot of oil, more salad like instead of sauce like.

Gremolata is an Italian chopped herb condiment that usually contains lemon zest, garlic, parsley, and anchovy. But it can vary. Sometimes people throw in some nuts or leave the herbs out completely.

Pistachio Gremolata with Arugula + Barley

This Pistachio Gremolata with Arugula definitely has a bit more added to it than the average. I had a lot of arugula that I needed to use so I started with that and then added orange zest, pistachios, and some salt and pepper.

Lately because of my part-time job, I’ve been wanting more fast sides and snacks that can also be bulked up to be the main dish. Or at least easily paired with some protein for a fast meal.

That’s why this gremolata got the barley upgrade. I needed something a little more filling so I tossed in some precooked barley I had on hand. And that’s when I was satisfied. It still had that green side and condiment feel but it could really stand on its own as a meal.

Toss it with some pan seared salmon, roasted chicken, or add it to other veggies for a more filling salad.

I tossed it with some Honey Jalapeño Sweet Potato Crisps to make a typical side snack into a main dish.

Pistachio Gremolata with Arugula + Barley

This Pistachio Gremolata with Arugula is a great fresh side or condiment to pair with protein or other veggies to brighten up your meal. Add barley to make it a fast more filling main dish.

Servings 4

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup shelled roasted and salted pistachios
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup cooked barley*
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Place the arugula, pistachio nuts, zest, and salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until it is finely chopped. 
• Keep as is or add a 1/2 cup cooked barley for a more filling side or topping. 

Notes

I will pre-cook a lot of barley on Sunday and use it throughout the week in my meals. Roasting barley takes some extra time but it adds a lot of flavor. But it's completely optional. I've found that cooking barley like pasta gets the best results:

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay out the barley on baking sheets and roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until it starts to brown.

Bring 4 liters of water to boil along with 8 teaspoons Morton Kosher Salt. Once the water has come to a boil, add the barley (however much you want) and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until al dente. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve, and lay the barley out on baking sheets to cool off completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.

Author: Megan Wells

Course: Sides and Snacks