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Recipe for Wheat Berry Salad

Whole grain-rich wheat berry salad with cranberries, apples, and black beans in a sweet citrusy dressing developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

Wheat Berry and Black Bean Salad

For more recipes visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page.

Yields 60 Servings

This recipe yields one–18 inch by 26 inch by 4 inch, steam table pan of salad for 60 servings: ½ cup or one number 8 scoop.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 2 pounds or 1 quart and 1 cup uncooked, dry wheat berries
  • 1 quart and 3 cups hot water
  • 8½ cups or 1¼ number 10 can canned black beans (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 2 cups fresh celery, chopped
  • 8 cups whole fresh red or green apples, cored and chopped
  • 1½ cups dried cranberries (USDA food item)
  • ¾ cup lemon juice
  • 2 cups orange juice (USDA food item)
  • ⅞ cup vegetable oil (USDA food item)
  • 1 tablespoon table salt
    2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat conventional oven to 350° F.
  2. Combine wheat berries with hot water in 18 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pan. Cover and cook for 45 minutes.
  3. Cool wheat berries in refrigerator. Critical Control Point (CCP): To cool, reduce temperature from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and from 70°F to 41°F within 4 hours.
  4. Drain black beans.
  5. Rinse celery and apples under cool running water. Discard root end and chop celery to equal 2 cups. Core and chop apples to equal 8 cups.
  6.  Combine black beans, celery, apples, and cranberries with cooled wheat berries.
  7. Combine lemon juice, orange juice, oil, salt, and pepper in bowl for dressing. Whisk together.
  8. Pour dressing mixture over wheat berry mixture. Toss well to combine.
  9. Refrigerate salad for at least two hours to allow for flavors to develop. Mix well before serving. CCP: Refrigerate 41°F or lower.
  10. Serve ½ cup or one number 8 scoop. Serve cold.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 128.00
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 20.88
  • Protein, in grams: 4.21
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 0.45
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 3.31
    Sodium, in milligrams: 161.84

Yields 90 Servings

This recipe yields two–18 inch by 26 inch by 4 inch, steam table pans of salad for 90 servings: ½ cup or one number 8 scoop.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 3 pounds or 1 quart and 3½ cup uncooked, dry wheat berries
  • 2 quarts and 2½ cups hot water
  • 12¾ cups or 1⅞ number 10 can canned black beans (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 3 cups fresh celery, chopped
  • 12 cups whole fresh red or green apples, cored and chopped
  • 2¼ cups dried cranberries (USDA food item)
  • 1 cup and 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 cups orange juice (USDA food item)
  • 1⅓ cups vegetable oil (USDA food item)
  • 1½ tablespoons table salt
    1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat conventional oven to 350° F.
  2. Combine wheat berries with hot water in two–18 inch by 20 inch by 4 inch steam table pans. Cover and cook for 45 minutes.
  3. Cool wheat berries in refrigerator. Critical Control Point (CCP): To cool, reduce temperature from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and from 70°F to 41°F within 4 hours.
  4. Drain black beans.
  5. Rinse celery and apples under cool running water. Discard root end and chop celery to equal 3 cups. Core and chop apples to equal 12 cups.
  6. Combine black beans, celery, apples, and cranberries with cooled wheat berries.
  7. Combine lemon juice, orange juice, oil, salt, and pepper in bowl for dressing. Whisk together.
  8. Pour dressing mixture over wheat berry mixture. Toss well to combine.
  9. Refrigerate salad for at least two hours to allow for flavors to develop. Mix well before serving. CCP: Refrigerate 41°F or lower.
  10. Serve ½ cup or one number 8 scoop. Serve cold.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 128.00
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 20.88
  • Protein, in grams: 4.21
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 0.45
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0.00
  • Total fat, in grams: 3.31
    Sodium, in milligrams: 161.84

General Recipe Information

Category

  • Salad recipes
  • Side dish recipes
  • Meatless or plant-based recipes

Serving Suggestion

  • Yield 60 or yield 90–½ cup servings (one number 8 scoop)
  • Alternate dressing: Toss with premade raspberry dressing
  • If letting set overnight, may need to add orange juice prior to service, as wheat berries may soak up excess liquid.
  • Recipe can be made same day or marinated overnight for best flavor.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

  • 0.5 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich
  • ½ cup fruit
  • ½ cup vegetables (½ cup legumes)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

  • Canned low sodium black beans
  • Dried cranberries
  • Orange juice
  • Vegetable oil

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

  • American Classic

Preparation Time

  • Preparation to serve time: 1 hour for 60 servings and 1 hour 5 minutes for 90 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

  • CCP: To cool, reduce temperature from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and from 70°F to 41°F within 4 hours.
  • CCP: Refrigerate at 41°F or lower.

Kid Rating

Four-fork kid rating.

Culinary Center

Lodi Unified School District

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, August 11, 2026
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