Tomato Corn Barley

Keeping summer leftovers like grilled corn and roasted cherry tomatoes on hand makes it easy to come up with a spontaneous dish like this tomato corn barley.

I like to buy exactly what I need for a specific recipe.

In my dream kitchen I have a separate pantry, but in my current arrangement, dry goods are in cabinets next door to the ones with dishes and glasses. 

I don’t have extra space for packages of things to linger on the shelves.

Thank goodness for the bulk section! Second to produce, it is my favorite department at the grocery.

I never buy things in massive quantities. It’s the total opposite. 

Give me that scoop and I have no shame about taking the smallest amount if that’s all I need.


I love that I can get smaller quantities, so I can shop per recipe instead of wasting my valuable cabinet real estate.

When you can buy pantry ingredients on a more regular basis, you know they will be more fresh. 

A few months ago, I was getting pearl barley from the bulk dispenser. It whooshed out so fast that before I knew it, I had way too much!

I felt like I had to take the bag. If I left it sitting there, the store would have had to throw away those abandoned grains. And I just couldn’t do that.

It’s a good thing I love barley. I am still trying to eat my way through what I accidentally bought.



Over the weekend I made tomato corn barley with chive vinaigrette, scallions and feta. It was a spontaneous mix of summer leftovers that I had around.

I am constantly grilling corn during the summer, so I always have extra kernels around. You can also use canned corn.

Roasted cherry tomatoes are another leftover that I hoard in jars in my fridge. 

When you have such flavorful fresh ingredients in fridge that are already cooked, it makes it easy to turn them into meals like tomato corn barley.

Tomato Corn Barley

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
• Total Time: 35-40 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 1x

Keeping summer leftovers like grilled corn and roasted cherry tomatoes on hand makes it easy to come up with a spontaneous dish like this tomato corn barley.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 1 cup water
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
• 1 cup cooked corn kernels (grilled corn or canned, rinsed and drained)
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the barley and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the cherry tomatoes, cut side up, on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until plump and juicy, but wrinkled at the edges.
3. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and chives.
4. Combine the tomatoes and corn with the barley. Stir in the vinaigrette, scallions and feta. Serve at warm or at room temperature.