Mediterranean Farro Salad

5 from 5 votes

Make a simple, vibrant Mediterranean farro salad with nutty, chewy farro, plenty of fresh, crisp veggies, and a bright Greek vinaigrette – A crowd-pleasing summery side or main for picnics, BBQs, Potlucks, and more!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Vegan

Servings: to 6

Calories: 477kcal

Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

Ingredients

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of olive brine
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of garlic granules or powder
2 teaspoons of dry oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Farro:

3 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed and drained
1 cucumber, diced
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup of kalamata olives, halved
1 (15.5-ounce) can of chickpeas or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup of chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

In a medium pot, add the vegetable broth, and farro. Cook according to package instructions. Once cooked, transfer the farro to a colander and allow it to sit, and drain any excess liquid.
While the farro is cooking, in a small jar make the dressing. Mix the water, olive brine, red wine vinegar, garlic granules or powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Close the lid and shake well until all the ingredients are fully combined. Set aside.
In a large salad bowl, add the cucumbers, bell pepper, tomatoes, red onions, olives, chickpeas or cannellini beans, and chopped parsley. Add 3 tablespoons of dressing. Mix well and set aside in the refrigerator until the farro has cooled.
Once the farro is at room temperature, add it to the bowl, add 3 tablespoons of dressing, and mix well. Taste and adjust any salt levels if needed. Mix well and optionally allow it to sit in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes for a more flavorful salad.

Notes

For less intense onion: Soak it in ice-cold water (or acidic dressing) for 10 minutes.

Toast the farro: For added nutty flavor, lightly toast it in a dry skillet (or bake on a sheet tray at 350F for about 10 minutes) until browned and fragrant.

Partially dress the farro while warm: It’s more absorbent at that point, so it soaks up the dressing well.

Allow the flavors to meld: Once assembled, this summer farro salad benefits from at least 30 minutes of ‘marinating’ in the fridge. 1-2 hours is even better.

Nutrition