Caprese Wheat Berry Salad

This Caprese Wheat Berry Salad is the perfect combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar.  If you have been looking for tasty wheat berry recipes, start here with this simple and delicious healthy summer salad.  You can go wrong with this fast and easy 5-ingredient, 30-minute recipe!

Looking for more wheat berries recipes? Also, try my Kale and Wheat Berry Salad & What Berry & Kale Stuffed Pattypan Squash.

Caprese Wheat Berry Salad Recipe

My Caprese Wheat Berry Salad recipe is rich with fresh mozzarella, summer-ripe tomatoes, and basil straight from the garden.  I’ve been experimenting with some simple wheat berry recipes and this is the perfect starter recipe for enjoying this under-the-radar health food.  You can make this salad with any grain like quinoa or farro, but I really love these fun little wheat berries.  They are chewy, hearty, nutty and so delicious!

This dish makes a great vegetarian meal or side dish for a cookout.

If you haven’t tried wheat berries (sometimes written as wheatberries), you must.  It has this rich nutty flavor that is simply amazing.  Cooking with wheat berries is pretty easy and it is actually very similar to rice or quinoa.  You boil the water in a pot, add the grain and simmer.  It takes a little while to let the wheat berries soften, but all that time is completely hands-off kitchen time.  You can be doing something else while they cook.

What are Wheat Berries?

Wheat Berries aren't actually berries but are the edible part of the wheat kernel that includes the bran, the endosperm, and the germ.  It's basically the whole grain before it's processed into bread, cereal or pasta.  They have a light brown color that looks like a large rice grain. Because the entire grain is eaten, and none of the nutrients are stripped away, they are super healthy.  Wheat berries are high in iron, protein, and manganese and can help support heart health.

You can generally find them in the health food section of your grocery store near other grains.  You can also buy them online here.

They are a whole-grain and can be used in place of any rice or quinoa recipe.

What Do They Taste Like?

Wheat berries are delightfully chewy in texture and have an earthy, slightly nutty flavor.  They are very mild and can absorb almost any flavor you make them with, making them a perfect base for so many wheat berry recipes.

This is a great way to dive into preparing and enjoying this delicious grain that doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Why You'll Love this Caprese Wheat Berry Salad recipe...

• This Caprese Wheat Berry Salad recipe is the perfect way to start making wheat berries!  It's full of familiar flavors, plus this unique, healthy, and tasty grain.
• This Wheat Berry recipe is easy to prepare, great for meal prep, and makes a lovely vegetarian summer dinner.
• It tastes amazing!
• If you are over making quinoa and rice, this is a great new grain to try.
• Wheat Berry recipes are healthy and have iron, calcium, B Vitamins, folate, and potassium.
• They are also low in fat!
• This recipe comes together with just 5 ingredients and in around 30 minutes with just a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients:

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Caprese Wheat Berry Salad recipe, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.

• Wheat Berries or Wheatberries: Wheat Berries are the main ingredient for this salad, much like rice or grain like quinoa.  They have a nutty taste and chewy texture.  Find them in the health food section of your grocery store.  Sometimes they are even available in the bulk section.  You can also buy them online here.
• Cherry Tomatoes: You can use fresh cherry tomatoes that are whole are halved.  The fresher the tomatoes, the better this salad will taste.
• Fresh Mozzarella: I like to use small fresh mozzarella pearls for this.  You can also buy a larger ball of fresh mozzarella and dice it up.
• Basil: Fresh basil is a key flavor for this salad.  Dried basil will not work.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Use a nice balsamic vinegar for a rich flavor. I like this one.
• Olive Oil: Use your high-quality finishing olive oil for this salad.  I like this one.
• Salt and Pepper: to taste
• Garnish: Balsamic Glaze & Fresh Basil

Instructions:

This is an overview of the instructions to make this Caprese Wheat Berry Salad recipe, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.

Step One: Cook the Wheat Berries

1. Rinse your wheat berries.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil.
3. Add the wheat berries to the water and reduce the heat to simmer.
4. Simmer until they are tender, checking for doneness after 20 minutes.   It usually takes around 30 minutes or even longer to get soft wheatberries, but it can take longer depending on the grain.  It does take a while to cook wheat berries, but this is basically hand-off cooking time.  You can do this part of the recipe ahead of time.  Set aside a longer amount of time to cook them than other grains.
5. When your wheat berries are soft, drain any excess water or liquid.
6. Allow the wheat berries to cool to room temperature for wheat berry recipes.

Step Two: Assemble the Salad

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
2. Add the cooled wheat berries, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil on top.
3. Toss them together gently.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Divide the wheat berry salad among four plates.  Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze and garnish with fresh basil.

Variations

I love this Caprese Wheat Berry Salad recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.

• Mix Up the Veggies: You can make a wheat berry salad with so many different vegetables!  Try cucumbers, roasted vegetables, kale, squash, and more.  Much like any grain salad, get creative because the wheat berry is a perfect base for a grain salad.
• Add Protein: This is a great vegetarian meal, but feel free to add chicken, fish, or shrimp.
• Mix up the Grain: This salad can also be made with rice, quinoa, or farro.

FAQ

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.  You may want to add some additional dressing before serving again later because the wheatberries will soak it up over time.  It stores great for meal prep and leftovers.

Freezing

I would not recommend freezing this as the texture would become bad.

Are wheat berries healthy?

Yes! Wheat Berries are a great health food option that is totally unprocessed.  They are a good source of plant protein, are cholesterol-free, sodium free, and super high in fiber. One-quarter cup serving has 170 calories, 9 grams of protein, and 48% of your daily fiber needs.  They are also high in vitamins and minerals!  They are an unrated and under-the-radar health food.

Are wheat berry and farro the same?

Although they look almost the same, they are not.  Farro is made from emmer, einkorn, or spelt wheat and often has the wheat bran removed making it more tender.  Wheatberries are the entire whole wheat kernel of wheat.  Because they are completely unprocessed, they take longer to cook.  They are very similar though and often can be swapped out in recipes.

Do wheat berries need to be soaked?

They don't HAVE to be soaked overnight.  However, if you'd like to prepare them quicker, you can soak your wheatberries overnight in enough water so they are covered.  Soak your wheatberries for 12 hours and then drain them.  It will cut your cooking time for the berries.  It's up to you though on how you want to prepare them.

What can I do with wheat berries?

There are so many wheat berry recipes!  Use them in this Caprese Wheat Berry Salad or some of the ideas below.  You can also substitute them in any of the listed recipes that call for farro or quinoa. They are also great in soups or stews!

• Kale and Wheat Berry Salad
• Wheat Berry & Kale Stuffed Pattypan Squash
• Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash
• Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Fall Farro Salad
• Harvest Buddha Bowl 
• Roasted Vegetable Grilled Quinoa Salad
• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

The Best Wheat Berry Recipe to Try!

This Caprese Wheat Berry Salad is the perfect place to start if you are looking for wheat berry recipes.  YOu can go wrong with this familiar salad with a new grain!   The end result is a vegetarian meal, high in protein and packed with flavor!

We love wheat berries, and I hope I've convinced you to try them too.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.  Happy cooking!

More Wheat Berry Recipes to Try:

• Kale and Wheat Berry Salad
• Wheat Berry & Kale Stuffed Pattypan Squash

If you make this Caprese Wheat Berry Salad recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!

Caprese Wheat Berry Salad - The Best Wheat Berry Recipe

Julie Wunder

This Caprese Wheat Berry Salad is the perfect combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar.  If you have been looking for tasty wheat berry recipes, start here with this simple and delicious healthy summer salad.  You can go wrong with this fast and easy 5-ingredient, 30-minute recipe!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Italian, Vegetarian

Servings 4

Calories 362 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup wheat berries
• 1 pint cherry tomato, halved
• 8 oz pearl mozzarella balls
• ½ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• garnish: additional basil and balsamic reduction

Instructions

 

Cook the Wheat Berries:

• Rinse your wheat berries.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of salted water to a boil.
• Add the wheat berries to the water and reduce the heat to simmer.
• Simmer until they are tender, checking for doneness after 20 minutes.   It usually takes around 30 minutes or even longer to get soft wheatberries, but it can take longer depending on the grain.
• When your wheat berries are soft, drain any excess water.
• Once cooked, allow the wheat berries to cool to at least room temperature.

Assemble the Salad:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
• Add the cooled wheat berries, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil on top. Toss gently. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide the wheat berry salad among four plates.  Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze and garnish with fresh basil.
• Serve room temperature or chilled.

Notes

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.  You may want to add some additional dressing before serving again later because the wheatberries will soak it up over time.  It stores great for meal prep and leftovers.

 

Freezing

I would not recommend freezing this as the texture would become bad.

 

Substitution

You can substitute farro or quinoa for the wheat berry.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 22gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 368mgPotassium: 332mgFiber: 8gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1009IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 488mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Caprese Wheat Berry Salad, Caprese Wheat Berry Salad recipe, Kale and Wheat Berry Salad, Wheat Berry recipes

Tried this recipe?Mention @Julie_Wunder or tag #RunninginaSkirt!

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