Hearty and Flavorful Farro Salad

Italian Farro Salad

Today’s Italian Farro Salad is here to prepare us for one of the most important seasons of the year: POTLUCK SEASON. Easy to prep in advance, packed with colorful veggies and creamy feta, and topped with a light, zippy vinaigrette, this farro salad is just screaming to be brought to your next get-together.

Why You’ll Love This Farro Salad Recipe

• The Perfect Potluck Salad. This farro salad is the kind of recipe that was tailor made for gatherings with friends because it can be prepped ahead and it tastes great at room temperature. It also yields enough for a crowd!
• Satisfying Main and Versatile Side. This fresh and flavorful farro recipe pairs well with just about any protein (Lemon Butter Chicken! Grilled Pork Chops!), but you can also make it into a main dish since farro is one of the most satisfying whole grains.
• Excellent for Meal Prep. I also love that this farro recipe will last in the refrigerator for several days, making it a fantastic candidate for meal prep lunches and dinners.
• It Uses Fabulous Farro. If you’ve never prepared or eaten farro, you are in for a delight. Farro is a type of ancient wheat that’s popular in Italian cuisine. Farro recipes can range from casseroles, risottos (like this Farro Risotto with Tomatoes and Parmesan) and pilafs to soups, stews and satisfying salads like today’s recipe. (Want more information on how to cook farro? Check out my guide on How to Cook Farro.)

How to Make Farro Salad

The Ingredients

• Farro. Tender, chewy, and nutty. Farro is a versatile, fiber-rich ancient grain loaded with plant-based protein.
• Feta Cheese. Adds a bit of creaminess and saltiness to the salad.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes. I love the bold, concentrated flavor sun-dried tomatoes give this farro salad. I like to use dried packaged sun-dried tomatoes instead of oil-packed, as I find the salad has enough oil with the dressing.
• Cucumbers. Lends a bit of crunch to the dish that contrasts the chewy, tender farro.
• Cherry Tomatoes. Easy to find and taste great year round.
• Peas. I use frozen since they’re a staple in my house. You can swap for fresh if you like, but I find frozen to be just as tasty and so much more convenient.
• Parsley. Feel free to swap the parsley for fresh basil, mint, or oregano, or create your own herby blend with a little bit of each.
• Olive Oil. I like to use a good quality olive oil with robust flavor that enhances the overall taste of the dressing.
• Red Wine Vinegar. Provides vital acidity to the dish.
• Honey. Adds just the right amount of sweetness to the salad.
• Dijon Mustard. Gives this farro salad a very subtle zip.

The Directions

1. Cook the Farro. Follow the package instructions, then transfer it to a large bowl.

2. Make the Dressing. Prepare the dressing and pour half over the warm farro.

3. Combine. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl (except for the feta). Toss to combine.

4. Finish. Sprinkle with feta, lightly toss again, add some additional dressing if you feel so inclined, then season your Italian farro salad with salt and pepper. ENJOY!

What to Serve with Farro Salad

• Grilled Proteins. I love this Italian farro salad as a side for grilled foods. Top it with Grilled Chicken Breast or serve it alongside Grilled Salmon.
• Burgers and Sandwiches. Italian Turkey Burgers would be perfection with this farro recipe.
• Roasted Vegetables. For a vegetarian meal, serve this salad alongside Oven Roasted Vegetables.
• Seafood. Add a generous scoop of Italian Tuna Salad on top or make this farro a side for Baked Salmon.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Rinse the Farro. Yes, you do need to rinse farro prior to cooking it. It’s usually covered with a dry, powdery coating that should be rinsed away. Rinsing also removes some outside starch, so that once the farro is cooked the grains separate from each other in the farro salad, versus clumping.
• Dress the Farro Warm. Pouring the dressing over the farro while it is still warm helps the farro drink it up, giving your salad an even fuller flavor.
• Freshen Up Your Leftovers. If you won’t be eating all of this Italian farro salad right away, I recommend reserving some of the dressing to moisten and revive the leftovers. If you do use all of it, you can also brighten up the leftovers with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

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Italian Farro Salad

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This Italian Farro Salad recipe with feta, fresh tomatoes, and red wine vinaigrette is a perfect, easy meal prep idea or potluck side dish.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8 –10 servings (about 10 cups)

Calories 166kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 cup uncooked farro
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup dry packaged sundried tomatoes not oil packed, cut into julienne slices, rehydrated if dry*
• 1 large cucumber seeded and finely diced
• ¾ cup jarred roasted red peppers drained and finely diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup frozen petite peas thawed
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

For the Italian Vinaigrette Dressing:

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

• Rinse and drain farro, then cook according to package instructions. Transfer to a large mixing or serving bowl.
  
• While the farro cooks, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar,  Dijon, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly blended. Pour half of the dressing over the warm farro and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat.
  
• Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl except for the feta: sundried tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red pepper, cherry tomatoes, peas, and parsley. Toss to coat. Taste and add as much of the remaining dressing as you like. Sprinkle with feta, lightly toss again, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.
  

Video

Notes

• *I liked to use dried packaged sundried tomatoes instead of oil packed, as I find the salad has enough oil with the dressing.  If you prefer sundried tomatoes in olive oil, you can swap them here. To rehydrate (you may or may not need to do this; if the sundried tomatoes seem moist and plump, you can skip this step): Place in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let rest a few minutes, then drain and use as directed.
• TO STORE: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you won’t be eating all the salad right away, I recommend reserving some of the dressing to moisten and revive the leftovers. If you do use all of it, you can also brighten the leftovers up with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
• TO MAKE IT VEGAN: Omit the feta cheese; replace the honey in the dressing with light agave or simple syrup.
• TO MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Replace the farro (which is not gluten free) with a different grain such as quinoa or brown rice.
• Nutritional information was calculated with three-quarters of the dressing. (I found I didn’t need it all, so feel free to adjust to your liking.)

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 10), about 1 cup | Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g

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