Best Farro Salad Recipes

CHARLIE BIRD'S FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Place the farro, apple cider, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the farro is tender. (If all the liquid is absorbed before the farro is tender, add a little more water.) Drain the farro and transfer to a large serving bowl. Discard the bay leaves.
• Meanwhile, in a small measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir the vinaigrette into the warm farro and set aside for at least 15 minutes to cool.
• Before serving, stir in the pistachios, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and radishes. Add the arugula and lightly fold in the Parmesan so as not to break it up too much. Sprinkle with the sea salt and serve immediately.

MEDITERRANEAN FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring chicken stock and farro to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender but still chewy, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer farro to a large bowl and let cool, at least 15 minutes.
• Add peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, and parsley to the bowl of farro. Toss together and stir in feta cheese.
• Mix olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper together. Toss vinaigrette with the salad. Serve cooled.

FARRO SALAD WITH TOMATOES AND HERBS

Steps:

• Combine the water and farro in a medium saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• Add the tomatoes, onion, chives, and parsley to the farro, and toss to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.
• The salad can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

FARRO SALAD WITH PEAS, ASPARAGUS, AND FETA

Steps:

• Cook farro in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
• Meanwhile, cook asparagus and sugar snap peas in another saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Add to farro with tomatoes, onion, and dill. Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Add dressing and feta to salad; toss to coat and serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer on a baking sheet and roast until light golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, rinse the farro and place in a medium saucepot. Add 2 cups water, the cider, bay leaves and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, 15 to 30 minutes. Drain and cool.
• Whisk together the oil, vinegar, Dijon, honey and orange zest and juice in a large bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Add the farro, roasted squash, arugula, parsley, pistachios and Parmesan and toss until everything is well incorporated. Once everything is combined, taste for seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve at room temperature.

FARRO, ROASTED BEET AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut the greens off the beets and slice them into 1/2-inch pieces; reserve. Trim and discard the beet stems. Combine the beets, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, some pepper, 5 of the thyme sprigs and the garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Cover with foil and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until easily pierced with a paring knife. Set aside to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, toast the pistachios in the oven for 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan or lidded deep skillet over medium heat. Add the farro and toast for 2 minutes--the color will darken slightly and the farro will acquire a nutty fragrance. Add 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 5 thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes, or until al dente (cooked but still firm to the bite). Drain the farro well and pour into a serving bowl.
• While the farro is still hot, add the beet greens, tossing to allow the heat to wilt the greens. Set aside to cool completely.
• With a paper towel, remove the skins from the beets. Quarter the beets and add them to the bowl with the farro. Fold in the toasted pistachios.
• Squeeze the roasted garlic into a small bowl. Mash with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Add the vinegar and then whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Adjust the seasoning as desired.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Top with the crumbled goat cheese.

CUCUMBER, MELON AND FARRO SALAD WITH FETA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the farro and cook until tender, 22 to 24 minutes. Drain, spread out on a large plate and let cool.
• Combine the cucumbers, cantaloupe, tomatoes and farro in a large serving bowl; set aside.
• Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, shallots, chives, 2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper in a medium bowl until emulsified. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, add the feta and mint and gently toss until the salad is evenly coated.

WHEATBERRY & FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Place 3 cups of salted water in each of two large saucepans and bring them to a boil. Add the wheatberries to one saucepan, and the farro to the other and cook, uncovered, over low heat for approximately 45 minutes, or until they are soft. Drain and place them together in a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, saute the red onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the onions to the wheatberries and farro together with the scallions, red bell pepper, carrot and parsley and mix well.
• Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes for the wheatberries and farro to absorb the sauce. Season to taste and serve at room temperature.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS AND FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to high. In a large bowl, toss together almonds, lemon zest, dill, and scallions; set aside.
• Drizzle asparagus lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper; grill, turning once, until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Transfer asparagus to a cutting board and let cool slightly, then chop into bite-size pieces. Add to bowl with almond mixture along with farro, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and adjust with more lemon juice if desired; fold in feta and serve.

FARRO AND GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH WALNUTS AND DILL

Steps:

• Add farro, 3 cups water and a pinch of kosher salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the farro is tender and toothsome, about 30 minutes.
• While the farro cooks, make the gremolata: Toast the walnuts in a large (preferably 12-inch) skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to ensure that they don't burn, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer toasted walnuts to a medium bowl. Add the dill, lemon zest and shallots and toss to coat. Season with salt and set aside.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat the oil over medium. Add the green beans and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beans are crisp tender and start to brown in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water to help them along, if needed. Turn off the heat.
• If there is any residual cooking liquid from the farro, drain it and add the farro directly to the skillet. Toss with the beans until well combined and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large serving bowl or platter and top with the gremolata. Drizzle with lemon juice or white wine vinegar to finish. Season with flaky salt, if desired.

HEALTHY WARM FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Mix olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
• Combine chicken broth and farro together in a large frying pan or wok; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until farro is tender and the broth is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stir olive oil mixture into farro until farro is coated. Add kale to farro mixture; cook and stir until kale is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle feta cheese over farro salad and stir until cheese is incorporated. Season salad with more salt and pepper if desired.

CORN AND FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
• Drizzle the corn with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Add the corn to the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until the corn starts to char, 6 to 8 minutes. Set the corn aside to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil with the capers, chopped parsley, vinegar and mustard. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the farro, mozzarella, tomatoes, olives and cucumber and toss to coat with the dressing. Cut the corn kernels from the cob. Fold the corn and avocado into the farro mixture. Sprinkle with the parsley leaves. Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, KALE AND FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Put the squash and red onion on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with your hands to coat well and spread out on the baking sheet so they don't steam. Roast, tossing halfway through, until the squash is fork-tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• Put the raisins in a shallow bowl and pour the vinegar over them. Soak, tossing them every now and then, for at least 15 minutes. Drain the vinegar into another small bowl, pressing down on the raisins to squeeze as much vinegar out as possible. Add mustard, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste to the vinegar. Drizzle in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Whisk until thick and emulsified. Set aside.
• To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, add the farro, chicken, cheese, walnuts, raisins, squash and red onions, kale, dressing, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss together until evenly coated with dressing. This is one of those salads that gets better as it sits.

FARRO SALAD WITH CORN AND CRISPY CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Start the chickpeas: Spread drained chickpeas on a rimmed sheet pan lined with a clean dish towel or a double layer of paper towels. Let air-dry for at least 30 minutes while you cook the farro.
• Prepare the farro: Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add farro and bay leaf. Cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain well, discarding bay leaf. Put farro in a bowl and, while still warm, stir in 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt and the coriander. Let farro cool to room temperature.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. While the farro cools, roast the crispy chickpeas and the corn in the same oven.
• For the chickpeas, remove towels from the baking sheet and toss chickpeas with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and spices until well coated. Roast, tossing halfway through, until golden and crispy, about 25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.
• In a mixing bowl, lightly drizzle kernels with remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and toss to coat. Spread corn in a single even layer on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast, tossing halfway through roasting, until golden brown and fragrant, about 20 minutes.
• Add corn to farro mixture, along with the scallions, fennel and herbs, tossing to combine. Taste, and add more salt and/or vinegar if needed. Just before serving, fold in crispy chickpeas so they remain crunchy. Top with another drizzle of olive oil and flaky sea salt.

FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• In a pot with the hot water seasoned with salt, add farro. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl stir together dressing ingredients.
• Add the rest of the salad ingredients and toss.
• When farro is tender, remove from heat; rinse in cool water and drain. Add drained farro to salad ingredients.
• Tasty as is or chill and let flavors come together.
• Season with additional herbs, salt and pepper if needed.
• Garnish with fresh basil.

CHERRY FARRO SALAD WITH SWEET VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk oil, maple syrup, vinegar, sugar, and salt together in a bowl until dressing is smooth.
• Cook and stir walnuts in a small skillet over low heat until toasted and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Bring chicken broth, farro, oregano, and basil to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, cover with a lid, and let sit until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. Transfer farro to a glass bowl and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes more.
• Mix walnuts, green apples, dried cherries, and parsley into farro. Drizzle dressing over farro mixture and toss to coat; refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

LEMONY FARRO PASTA SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE AND MINT

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add farro and bay leaves and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add orzo to the pot and continue to simmer until farro and pasta are cooked through but still al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes longer.
• While farro is cooking, prepare the dressing: Finely grate zest from the lemons, and place zest in a large bowl. Squeeze juice from 1 1/2 lemons and add to zest along with salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes, whisking to combine. Gradually whisk in oil. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice from the other lemon half, or both, if needed.
• Drain farro-pasta mixture, discarding bay leaves. Add to bowl with dressing and toss well. Stir in apricots. Let farro and pasta cool, soaking up the dressing. This can be done up to 1 day in advance. Store in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before proceeding.
• In a small bowl, combine onions, celery, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and a large pinch of salt. Let sit while the pasta cools, at least 20 minutes.
• Just before serving, add onion mixture and almonds to the bowl with the farro and pasta and toss well. Gently fold in spinach, goat cheese, mint and parsley. Taste and add more lemon, red-pepper flakes or salt if needed.
• Drizzle with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

FARRO SALAD WITH ROASTED SWEET POTATOES, RED ONION, AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Spread the sweet potato rounds and onion wedges on a baking sheet, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast, shaking the baking sheet halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are golden brown and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Cook the farro according to the package directions. Drain.
• In a medium bowl, season the warm farro with the vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper. Add the sweet potato, onion, radish, dill, pistachios, and goat cheese. To finish, drizzle the salad with the lemon juice and sprinkle with smoked paprika, flaky sea salt, and pepper. If the dish seems a little dry, drizzle it with extra oil.

GREEK FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse farro with water; drain. Place farro in a pot; pour in chicken broth to cover farro by at least one inch, adding water if needed. Stir in 1 teaspoon olive oil and sea salt.
• Bring liquid to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until tender, about 35 minutes for whole grain farro or about 20 minutes for pearled farro.
• Drain farro, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Greek seasoning, and garlic together in a large bowl. Stir in tomato, cucumber, red pepper, red onion, and feta cheese. Stir farro into tomato mixture until completely coated with dressing; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate salad for about 2 hours before serving.

MEDITERRANEAN FARRO SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the farro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the farro is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and simmer until the farro is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and stir. Cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 2 minutes. Drain the green beans.
• Once the farro has cooled add the green beans, olives, red pepper, Parmesan, and chives. Stir to combine. In a small bowl mix together the sherry vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Pour the sherry vinaigrette over the farro salad. Toss to combine and serve.