Farro, Barley, and Quinoa - Oh, My! - Six Easy Grain Bowl Salads #CulinaryCam

These grain bowl salads are the perfect Autumn side dish or main dish. And I love that they are so, so simple to assemble! Here are six variations using three different grains - farro, barley, and quinoa. But use whatever grains you have. These would be just as tasty with rice, freekah, or even buckwheat!

You can watch the process on the CulinaryCam YouTube channel...or right here! Ingredients are listed below for each bowl. But, as always,  I urge you to just be creative and use what you have.

I love how easy these are to customize with whatever ingredients I have on-hand. They are colorful, toothy, and tasty. If you are local to me, I picked up all of the pantry items at The Quail & Olive in Carmel Valley. Anni always has great pantry items whose producers have great stories and make quality items. It's always a treat to go there and get inspired.

Simple Crunch Quinoa Bowl

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup sliced purple cabbage
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup diced apples
• 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil (I used the Vegan Bacon olive oil from Quail & Olive)
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (I used the Fire Cider from Quail & Olive)
• salt
• freshly ground pepper

Rainbow Quinoa

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 Tablespoon pesto (I used the Pugliese Greens Pesto from Quail & Olive)
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil (I used the Koroneiki olive oil from Quail & Olive)
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar (I used the Champagne Mimosa from Quail & Olive)
• 1/2 cup sliced purple cabbage
• 1/3 cup blanched corn kernels
• 1/3 cup blanched asparagus
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup diced apples
• 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
• salt
• freshly ground pepper

Caprese Barley Bowl

• 2 cups cooked barley
• 3/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 1-1/2 cups fresh arugula (or use 3/4 cup fresh basil)
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil (I used the Smoked olive oil from Quail & Olive)
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar (I used the Mission Fig balsamic from Quail & Olive)
• salt
• freshly ground pepper

Mediterranean Farro Bowl

• 2 cups cooked farro
• 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (the ones pack in olive oil or soaked in warm water for 30 minutes prior to using)
• 1/2 cup chopped grilled artichokes
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted cipollini onions
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil (I used the Koroneiki olive oil from Quail & Olive)
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar (I used the Plum Basil balsamic from Quail & Olive)
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• sardines for serving

Indian-Inspired Farro

Roasted Root Veggies

• 2 cups peeled and cubed veggies (I used sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (I used the Diaspora Co. brand)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili (I used the Diaspora Co. brand)
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup (I used the Runamok brand)
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

Toss everything together in a bowl and turn out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in a preheated oven - 350 degrees Fahrenheit - for 30 minutes. They should be easily pierced with a fork.

Salad

• 2 cups cooked farro
• 2 Tablespoons tahini (I used the Villa Jerada brand)
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil (I used the Koroneiki olive oil from Quail & Olive)
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar (I used the Fire Cider from Quail & Olive)
• salt
• freshly ground pepper

Earthy Barley

Roasted Mushrooms

• 2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and thickly sliced
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

Toss everything together in a bowl and turn out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in a preheated oven - 350 degrees Fahrenheit - for 20 minutes. 

Salad

• 2 cups cooked barley
• 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
• 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil (I used the Arbequina olive oil from Quail & Olive)
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar (I used the Head Ancho balsamic from Quail & Olive)
• 1/2 cup chopped grilled artichokes
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted cipollini onions
• 3 Tablespoons semi-dried cherry tomatoes
• salt
• freshly ground pepper