Farro Salad

The Farro Salad, a culinary delight, epitomizes simplicity and sophistication. With earthy farro, crisp veggies, and zesty dressing, it’s a symphony of flavors and textures. Its vibrant colors and wholesome nutrition make it perfect for summer nights or a light lunch, bridging seamlessly into autumn’s embrace.

This humble farro salad has become one of my favorites. I find it to be the ideal dish for a warm summer night. 

I love the symphony of tastes from the earthy, nutty, and chewy farro combined with fresh veggies and zesty dressing. It simply satisfies the palate.

This recipe is vibrant and packed full of wholesome nutrition with visually attractive pops of color from the vegetables. 

With its delightful medley of textures and flavors, I’ve found this recipe to be the perfect transitional salad into fall as a wholesome idea for a light lunch or a side dish for dinner.

Why You Should Make This Salad:

Prepare to be enchanted as this wholesome dish takes center stage, promising to tantalize your taste buds and earn a permanent spot on your on-the-go menu. Delve into the many reasons why this summer favorite is destined to steal your heart

• Its versatility knows no bounds and easily complements a range of ingredients to create different harmonious blends of refreshing and savory flavors. Tailor your farro recipe to your mood, indulging in endless possibilities for culinary creativity.
• It’s visually attractive, with vibrant colors of assorted vegetables that contrast the earthy notes of the farro grain.
• Unique texture. The irresistible combination of chewy, nutty farro, paired with crisp, tender vegetables and a tangy, zesty dressing, creates a salad that tantalizes the palate with its contrasting textures and flavors.
• Effortlessly assembled with just a few knife strokes to chop your veggies and a swift boil of farro, this dish is the epitome of convenience. Its quick preparation transforms it into a hassle-free, yet immensely flavorful meal.

Ingredients Needed

• I always use vegetable broth to add extra richness to the tastiness of the grain.
• English cucumbers have fewer seeds and are firm and crunchy — perfect for this recipe.
• Choose shallots over regular onions as the flavor won’t overpower the tastebuds.
• Use Kalamata olives, if possible, as they have a fruitier profile note that adds depth to the earthiness of farro.
• I love using fresh lemons from my lemon tree in my backyard, but you can also use store-bought lemon juice.

Recipe Variations for Farro Salad

Using emmer wheat in recipes makes these salads so versatile, and there are plenty of ways to enrich your recipe to suit your taste requirements. 

Enliven your farro salad with a Mediterranean twist by adding roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes, or add some crumbled feta for that added creaminess.

Here are some of my favorite optional extras when I’m in the mood for something slightly different:

• Grilled chicken
• Sundried tomatoes
• Roasted peppers
• Marinated artichoke hearts
• Baby spinach
• Cherry tomatoes. Grill them slightly before adding them
• Roasted veggies for a transitional fall farro salad

How to Make Farro Salad

Step 1: Cook the Farro

In a medium saucepan, add your vegetable broth and salt. Bring it to a boil before adding the farro. Then, lower the heat to a simmer. 

Cook while occasionally stirring until the farro becomes tender and all the broth is absorbed, typically about 30 minutes. 

Once the farro is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl to cool down.

Step 2: Slice and Chop the Herbs and Vegetables

Dice the English cucumber into small pieces, finely chop the parsley, slice the shallot after peeling it, chop the scallions, and finely mince the garlic cloves. 

Add all the prepared vegetables to the bowl containing the cooled farro.

Drain the capers and olives if in a brine. Chop the olives into smaller pieces and add both to the bowl.

Step 3: Mix the Dressing

Using a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. 

Pour the dressing over your ingredients, tossing everything together until thoroughly combined. Serve chilled.

How to Cook Farro for Salad

Cooking farro for salads can be done using one of two methods:

The absorption method uses a ratio of water to farro grains until the liquid is fully absorbed.

The pasta method is to boil farro in water until the farro is soft and chewy; this way, you won’t overcook or undercook your farro.

Since I’m using broth as my liquid, I prefer using the adsorption method so the flavors of the broth will be adsorbed into the farro, adding more depth to the salad.

1. Rinse your cup of farro in a fine mesh sieve under cold water.
2. In a pot, bring the broth and salt to the boil. Add your farro to the boiling water, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. The amount of liquid and cooking time depends on the farro you are using.
3. Once all the liquid has been absorbed, drain the farro of any excess liquid and transfer it to a large bowl or pan to cool for about 20 minutes. Try to spread the farro into a single layer to prevent steaming, which may make it mushy.
4. Once cooled, add to your chopped ingredients and enjoy.

Storing Farro Salad Leftovers

If by some miracle you still have farro salad left over, you can transfer it to an air-tight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I have a sneaky suspicion you won’t have much opportunity to enjoy any leftovers.

Farro Salad

The Farro Salad, a culinary gem, strikes a balance between simplicity and refinement. With its robust farro, crisp vegetables, and tangy dressing, it orchestrates a symphony of flavors and textures. Its vibrant hues and nutritious profile make it an ideal option for summer evenings or a light lunch, seamlessly transitioning into the autumn season.

No ratings yet

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Aimee Mars

Equipment

• ▢
  Medium Pot with Lid
• ▢
  Mixing Bowl
• ▢
  Measuring Cup
• ▢
  Whisk

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup Whole Grain Farro
• ▢ 2 cups Broth
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons Salt
• ▢ 1 English Cucumber chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup Parsley finely chopped
• ▢ 1 Shallot silced thin
• ▢ 1/2 cup Scallions green and white parts chopped
• ▢ 2 ounces Capers drained
• ▢ 1/2 cup Kalamata Olives pitted and chopped
• ▢ 3 Garlic Cloves finely minced
• ▢ 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• ▢ 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Salt and Pepper

Instructions

• Cook the farro. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, vegetable broth, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Stir occasionally until farro is tender and broth is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Transfer cooked farro to a large bowl to cool.
• Prepare the vegetables by slicing and chopping them accordingly. Dice the English cucumber into small pieces, finely chop the parsley, slice the shallot after peeling it, chop the scallions, and finely mince the garlic cloves. Add all the prepared vegetables to the bowl containing the cooled farro. Drain the capers and olives if in a brine. Chop the olives into smaller pieces and add both to the bowl.
• Mix the dressing. In a small bowl or jar whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper. Pour the dressing into the bowl with the salad ingredients.
• Toss it all together. Toss everything together until fully combined and coated in the dressing completely. Serve chilled.

Notes

Storing Leftovers:If by some miracle you still have farro salad left over, you can transfer it to an air-tight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I have a sneaky suspicion you won’t have much opportunity to enjoy any leftovers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 2303mg | Potassium: 393mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1184IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AimeeMarsLiving or tag #AimeeMarsLiving!