This hearty farro salad is ready in 30 minutes and perfect as a side dish or satisfying lunch salad! It combines chewy whole grain farro with fresh vegetables, earthy mushrooms, and a bright lemon vinaigrette.
Are you a farro fan like I am? Here’s a recipe that works as either a side dish or lunch salad: my hearty farro salad! Farro is an ancient grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor that’s getting more and more popular (consider me its biggest fan!). It’s ideal for making as a side dish or turning into grain salads like this one.
This is my new favorite grain salad, which pairs the whole grain with juicy tomatoes, earthy mushrooms, feathery arugula, savory pops of cheese, and a zingy vinaigrette. It’s so yummy, I can’t stop making it!
5 Star Reader Review
”Absolutely love this salad. Have made it three times and always gets rave reviews. Still great on day two (if not better).” -Julie
Ingredients You Need
This farro salad is fresh and veggie-packed, perfect as a side dish for dinner or as a lunch salad. The flavor is Mediterranean-style, with a beautiful rainbow of jumbled vegetables. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need:
- Farro: Use pearled or semi-pearled farro (see the section below on farro types).
- Shallot and garlic: These add savory depth to the salad.
- Cherry tomatoes and carrots: I love rainbow cherry tomatoes here for the variation in color. Out of season, look for greenhouse or hydroponic options. Carrots add a nice crunch.
- Button or cremini mushrooms: Thinly sliced raw mushrooms add a unique element to this salad. They’re surprisingly good! Carrot adds color and nice texture crunch.
- Fresh herbs: Chives, mint, or basil all work well. Use whatever you have on hand or looks best at the store.
- Baby arugula: The key word here is baby: standard arugula is too peppery and will overwhelm the salad.
- Manchego cheese: This Spanish cheese has a fruity, slightly nutty flavor that’s perfect in this salad.
- Lemon vinaigrette: A simple whisk of lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, and olive oil makes a bright and tangy dressing!
Understanding Farro Types
Farro is a whole grain that’s plump and chewy, with a texture similar to barley. It’s been a staple in Italian cuisine for centuries and recently spread to global popularity. Farro can be boiled on the stovetop, cooked in a rice cooker, or in a pressure cooker (Instant Pot). There are a few types you can find in American grocery stores:
- Pearled farro has all of the bran removed from the grain, making it quicker to cook but removing some fiber. The cook time is 15 to 20 minutes.
- Semi-pearled farro has part of the bran removed, retaining some additional fiber. The cook time is 25 to 30 minutes.
- Whole farro is the whole grain and takes the longest to cook, but it’s harder to find in grocery stores (in the US). So this farro salad works with pearled or semi pearled!
Keep in mind: the labeling of this grain in the grocery store can be confusing. Many packages don’t contain the words pearled or semi-pearled (looking at you, Bob’s Red Mill). Check the cook time on the package as a guide.
Substitutions and Variations
This farro salad is flexible. Here are a few ideas to make it your own:
- No mushrooms? Omit them or swap in thinly sliced raw zucchini for a similar texture. You can also use sauteed mushrooms if you prefer not eating them raw.
- Sweet potatoes: I love adding air fryer sweet potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes to make it more hearty.
- Different greens: Baby spinach or baby kale both work in place of baby arugula — just thinly slice them (and stem the kale).
- Switch the cheese: Parmesan shavings are the easiest Manchego substitute. Fontina is also delicious (like I use in my Farro with Roasted Vegetables). For vegan, simply leave the cheese out.
- Seasonal swaps: In fall, try this salad with roasted butternut squash or apples — similar to my Autumn Salad with Farro & Apple.
How to Serve This Farro Salad
This farro salad is so versatile and works with many different meal concepts. Here are some ideas:
- Side dish for fish like salmon, baked cod, shrimp, tilapia or scallops
- Side dish for pizza (try these pizza recipes)
- With vegetarian or vegan mains like Easy Baked Tofu or Power Bowls
- Lunch salad for a healthy lunch idea
- Picnic salad
- Salad for a potluck or barbecue
Storage
Store this farro salad airtight in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The arugula will wilt but the salad stays flavorful. Taste and add a pinch or two of extra salt before serving, as refrigeration can mellow the seasoning.
Dietary Notes
This farro salad recipe is vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the cheese.
Hearty Farro Salad
Pin RecipeThis hearty farro salad is ready in 30 minutes and perfect as a side dish or satisfying lunch salad! It combines chewy whole grain farro with fresh vegetables, earthy mushrooms, and a bright lemon vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Salad
- Cuisine: Salad
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry farro (pearled or semi pearled)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 4 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (see Notes)
- 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (like fresh chives, mint or basil)
- 2 cups baby arugula (or other baby greens)
- ½ cup Manchego cheese, sliced into chunks (or Parmesan shavings or fontina cheese; omit for vegan)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the farro: Rinse the farro under cold water in a fine mesh strainer. In a large saucepan, place the farro, 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the grains are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes for pearled farro and 25 to 30 minutes for semi-pearled farro. Taste test a grain to see if it is tender (if the package is unmarked, just cook until tender). Drain any excess water. Stir in the additional ¼ teaspoon salt. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in the freezer for 3 minutes until room temperature. (This step can be completed up to 2 days in advance; refrigerate the farro until making the salad.)
- Prep the veggies: Meanwhile, chop the shallot, garlic, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, carrot, and fresh herbs as noted in the ingredient list above. Place the veggies in a large bowl, then add the baby arugula, cheese, and farro.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time, until creamy.
- Serve: Add the dressing to the bowl with farro and vegetables and toss. Taste and add another pinch or two of salt if desired. (Stores up to 4 days refrigerated; you may need to add a pinch or two more salt after refrigeration since it can dull the flavors.)
Notes
- Mushrooms: It is safe to consume small quantities of common store-bought varieties of mushrooms raw. However if you prefer, you can make sauteed mushrooms for this salad and it’s just as delicious (or leave them out).
More Farro Recipes to Try
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/MePuvw1
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