The grain salad recipes everyone is going nuts for right now

There’s movement afoot in the recipe world - and it involves a food that’s nutritious, filling and packed with taste potential. Find out more about this miracle option here.

Whispers are growing louder and louder about a new type of kid on the block.

A healthy kid that’s filling, and full of fibre and – yes, wait for it – absolutely delicious too.

The rumours are true. Please meet the grain salad. A (not so new) type of salad that’s taking the world by storm. You’d like some one-on-one formal intros? We can arrange that.

A Cypriot grain salad.

Ancient grain salad with haloumi

When it comes to ancient grains – a group of grains that have largely remained unchanged for thousands of years – we’re all onboard. This salad specifically uses wild rice and freekeh, which is mixed together with chickpeas, sweet potato, fresh mint leaves, nutty pistachios, pomegranate seeds, thinly sliced shallots and doused in a beautiful zesty lemon mustard dressing. It’s a bowl of health, a bowl of crunchy delight, and it’s light yet filling.

This salad works perfectly as a side to any meat, but also substantial enough that it can be your stand-alone meal. We’ve added some extra haloumi on top for that salty hit, and we actually made extra sauce to keep in the fridge for other meals. Thrifty! Intelligent!

Ancient grain salad with haloumi.

Cypriot grain salad

Probably the simpler salad of this bunch, the Cypriot grain salad really lets these ancient grains sing for themselves. Made from burghul and lentils, and then mixed in with a bunch of herbs – namely coriander and parsley – then studded with capers, cranberries, flaked almonds and red onion, this is zesty eating on a plate. The textures all work well together, and each mouthful is flavoursome and gratifying. It’s a team favourite.

Greek lemon feta grain salad

It’s the year of the internationally-inspired salad, and – as they say – we are showing up. This Cypriot grain salad is fresh, filling and punchy. It boasts meaty pearl barley and chickpeas, with those harmonious Greek flavours of dill, parsley, mint, fetta, lemon juice and olive oil. Currants add little pops of sweetness and the inclusion of feta even brings a creaminess to each bite. Hearty enough to be enjoyed solo, or the perfect BBQ salad accompaniment, this is one salad that you’ll see on the summer circuit (and beyond) this year.

A Greek grain salad.

Vegan mixed grain salad

With a base of white quinoa, pearl barley and lentils, this protein-rich salad is certainly filling. Throw in some other flavoursome friends, like pomegranate, walnuts, pepita and sunflowers, fresh coriander and mint, and green shallots and you have your vegan party bouncing along fairly strong. To top it off, swirl together your mildly spicy dressing of olive oil, fresh lemon, pomegranate molasses or dark brown sugar, ground coriander, cumin and currants. The perfect complement to the ancient grains and herbs. This salad can do no wrong.

Vegan mixed grain salad.

Keen to make these guys? Give them a whirl:

Ancient grain salad with haloumi

Cypriot grain salad

Greek lemon feta grain salad

Vegan mixed grain salad

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For more recipe ideas, go to taste.com.au or check out the Taste Test Kitchen now.

Originally published as The grain salad recipes everyone is going nuts for right now