Winter Wheat Berry Salad with Butternut Squash
This hearty winter wheat berry salad is a fantastic side dish or lunch.
It features roasted butternut squash, spinach, almonds, and a tangy lemon dressing. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy wheat berries and I can’t wait for you to try it!
This winter wheat berry salad is such a perfect side dish for this time of year. It’s great warm, and it’s great at room temperature.
It’s a salad without being a salad– filled with spinach, roasted butternut squash, toasted almonds, goat cheese, and a bright and tangy lemon dressing.
I love this one as a simple lunch, but it’s also great as a side dish paired with your favorite protein, like my air fryer tofu.
See below for more details and tips for success– or head straight to the recipe.
Wheat Berry Salad Recipe Ingredient Notes
This is a great introductory recipe if you haven’t tried wheat berries before. It’s similar to other grain salads, and if you like farro or quinoa, you’ll love this one. With a chewy texture and nutty flavor, I love hearty wheat berries!
You can find wheat berries in the rice and grain section of most major grocery stores, or online.
Wheat berries are the entire, unprocessed kernels of wheat, containing the bran, germ, and endosperm. There are different types of wheat berries: hard red, hard white, soft white, and spring wheat varieties, each with varying levels of protein and gluten.
This wheat berry salad uses either hard red wheat berries or hard white wheat berries. Your wheat berries will take 60-90 minutes, depending on what type you use. The finished wheat berry should be chewy, but still tender.
I use butternut squash in this winter version, but you can use other squash like delicata squash, acorn squash, or even honeynut squash if you can find it.
If you use another green instead of spinach, then you may need to cook it first. The spinach leaves are delicate enough to wilt with the hot wheat berries, but sturdier greens like Swiss chard or Mustard greens will be too hearty to wilt from the heat alone.
How to Make this Wheat Berry Salad
Step 1: Cook the Wheat Berries
Rinse the wheat berries in a fine mesh strainer, then place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook until tender.
When they are done, drain the cooked wheat berries to remove any excess water– I use the same strainer for ease!
Step 2: Roast the Squash
Toss the squash with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, then roast until tender, stirring halfway through. Place in a large baking pan in a single layer as this will ensure that your squash gets nice and crispy on the outside instead of steaming.
Step 3: Make the Lemon Dressing
While the wheat berries are cooking and the squash is roasting, whisk together the ingredients for the lemon dressing and set aside. You’ll want to make sure that the dressing is made as you will quickly combine it with the spinach and cooked farro as soon as it’s done.
Step 4: Chop the Spinach
Chop the spinach and add to a big bowl, set aside. Right away, add the warm wheat berries to the bowl with the spinach and lemon dressing. Let sit for 5 minutes to wilt the spinach. This wilts the spinach without cooking it and infuses the berries with the dressing.
Step 5: Assemble and Serve
Toss together, then add the roasted squash, goat cheese, and toasted almonds. Toss again, season to taste, and serve.
Expert Tips for Success
Always rinse the wheat berries under cold water before cooking to remove any dirt, debris, or excess starch.
If you want extra flavor for your wheat berries, you can cook the berries in veggie broth. Or, as I do– make sure to salt the cooking water like you would pasta. If you are using broth, a general guideline is 3 cups of both for every 1 cup of wheat berries.
After bringing the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover the pot. This allows the wheat berries to cook evenly and absorb the liquid properly.
Start checking for doneness around 45 minutes. The wheat berries should be tender but still have a slight chew. If they’re too hard, continue simmering and check every 5-10 minutes.
I don’t soak my wheat berries, but you can! Soaking wheat berries for a few hours before cooking can help reduce cooking time and make them more digestible. However, it’s not strictly necessary.
Wheat Berry Salad Serving Suggestions
I like wheat berry salads as a make-ahead dish, perfect for lunch or a light dinner. Their chewy texture holds up well to dressings, making them ideal for picnics and potlucks. I often make this one to keep in the fridge and eat for a few days.
I think this wheat berry salad tastes best at room temperature, so if you make it ahead of time, pull it out about 30-60 minutes before serving.
For a nice meal, I like serving this winter wheat berry salad with my marinated lentil salad, chickpea salad sandwiches, or as a side dish with your favorite protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other vegetables?
Yes, you can use other root vegetables instead of the butternut squash. Carrots or sweet potatoes would work great and should be cooked the same way.
Can I substitute other grains for the wheat berries?
You’ll want to use another hearty grain if you sub in another– farro or quinoa would be good alternatives.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the wheat berries, roasted squash, and dressing ahead of time. Then, you can assemble right before serving, or make ahead of time and then bring out to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
More Grain Salad Recipes
- Mediterranean Farro Salad
- Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad
- Rainbow Millet Salad
- Southwestern Quinoa Salad
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
If you make this Winter Wheat Berry Salad, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers, and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Winter Wheat Berry Salad with Butternut Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup hard wheat berries, rinsed
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and small diced
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt/pepper
- 2 cups chopped spinach leaves
- 1 lemon, zest and juice (about 2-3 tablespoons juice)
- 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 heaping teaspoon honey
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
- 1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds
Instructions
- Cook the wheat berries. Place the wheat berries and 6-7 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 60-90 minutes, adding more water, if necessary, until tender.
- While the wheat berries are cooking, roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the squash with the olive oil, enough to coat, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place in a single layer in a baking sheet and cook until squash is tender, flipping halfway, about 30-40 minutes. Set aside.
- While the squash is cooking, make the lemon dressing. In a jar or small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, juice, mustard, and honey until well combined, then drizzle in the olive oil while whisking the dressing to create a creamy dressing. Taste, adding salt as desired. I usually add a 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Add the chopped spinach to the bottom of a large bowl. Drain the wheat berries and add the warm wheat berries on top of the spinach and let sit for 2-3 minutes to wilt the spinach.
- Add in the cooked squash, the dressing, goat cheese, and almonds, then toss together until well combined. Taste, adding more salt/pepper/olive oil/lemon juice as desired to taste.