This farro salad recipe mixes fresh veggies and a flavorful dressing with this hearty whole grain! It’s a filling side dish or a lunch salad.
Need a side salad or a fun salad for lunch? Here’s a recipe that works like both: this one Hearty farro salad! Farro is an ancient bean with a chewy texture and nutty flavor that has burst onto the scene in recent years. It is ideal as a side dish seasoned with garlic and herbs, but is also ideal for grain salads. This is our new ultimate meal, combining whole grains with juicy tomatoes, earthy mushrooms, feathery arugula, savory chunks of cheese and a savory dressing.
Ingredients for this spelled salad
This spelled salad is fresh and full of veggies, perfect as a side for dinner or as a salad for lunch. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days, so we usually use it for both! The taste is Mediterranean, with a nice rainbow of mixed vegetables. Here are the main ingredients you need for this spelled salad:
- Faro: pearl or half-pearl
- shallot and garlic
- cherry tomatoesrainbow if possible
- Button or cremini mushrooms
- carrot
- Fresh herbs: fresh chives, mint or basil
- rocket: Only use baby rocket here! Regular arugula tastes too strong. Use other young green vegetables as a substitute.
- Manchego cheese: or use parmesan or fontina cheese (omit for vegans)
- lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- olive oil
Types of Farros
Farro is a plump, chewy whole grain with a barley-like texture. It has been a staple of Italian cuisine for centuries and has recently spread around the world. Farro can be cooked on the stovetop, in a rice cooker, or in an instant pot. There are a few types you can find in US grocery stores:
- Pearl Wheat Seeds has removed all the bran from the grain, making it cook faster but taking away some fiber. The cooking time is 15 to 20 minutes.
- Half Pearl Farro has removed some of the bran, leaving some extra fibers. The cooking time is 25 to 30 minutes.
- All Farro is whole grain and takes the longest to cook, but is harder to find in grocery stores (in the US). So this spelled salad works with pearl or half pearl!
Remember: Grocery store labeling of this grain can be confusing. A lot of packaging doesn’t say pearl or semi-pearl (Bob’s Red Mill is looking at you). Check the cooking time on the package as a guide.
Advice on replacement
This farro salad is very forgiving and you can substitute or add different veggies or cheeses to taste. Here are a few ideas:
- Mushrooms: omit if you’re not a fan of mushrooms, but raw mushrooms add a great earthy flavor and smooth texture here!
- Rocket: does not replace the standard arugula sold in bundles; it’s way too spicy! Use other young leafy greens like baby spinach or baby cabbage.
- Cheese: Manchego cheese is a Spanish cheese with a sweet, fruity flavor and a firm texture that’s fabulous here! If you can’t find it, try some parmesan shavings instead. Or, for a fun twist, use Fontina cheese (like this Roasted Vegetable Farro). For vegans you can also omit the cheese.
- Tomatoes: Look for greenhouse or hydroponic cherry tomatoes when they are out of season. Or add local ripe cherry tomatoes in the summer! If you have allergies, try another red vegetable like red peppers.
Ways to serve this spelled salad
This spelled salad is so versatile and goes with so many different food concepts. Here are a few ideas:
How do you want to serve it? Let us know in the comments below!
More farro recipes
Farro is one of our favorite cereals (don’t forget quinoa, of course!). Here are some additional farro recipes to have in your bag:
This spelled salad recipe is…
Vegetarian. For vegans, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the cheese.
The description
This farro salad recipe mixes fresh veggies and a flavorful dressing with this hearty whole grain! It’s a filling side dish or a lunch salad.
- 1 cup dry farro (pearl or half-pearl)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, shared
- 1 chopped shallots
- 1 small clove of garlic, chopped
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 4 oz Mushrooms or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 Carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (e.g. fresh chives, mint or basil)
- 2 cups Baby arugula (or other baby salad)
- ½ cup Manchego cheese, cut into chunks (or shaved parmesan or fontina cheese; omit for vegans)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Cook farro: Rinse the farro in a fine mesh strainer under cold water. In a large saucepan, combine the farro, 3 cups water, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until grains are tender, about 15-20 minutes for pearl farro and 25-30 minutes for semi-pearl farro. Taste a grain to see if it’s tender (if the hull isn’t marked, just cook until tender). Drain excess water. Stir in the additional ¼ teaspoon of salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 3 minutes until room temperature is reached. (This step can be done up to 2 days in advance; refrigerate the farro until you make the salad.)
- Prepare the vegetables: Meanwhile, chop the shallot, garlic, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, carrot and fresh herbs as directed in the ingredients list above. Place the vegetables in a large bowl, then add the baby arugula, cheese, and spelled.
- Prepare dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, and ¼ tsp kosher salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until creamy.
- Surcharge: Add the farro and vegetable dressing to the bowl and toss. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt to taste. (Keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days; you may need to add a pinch or two of salt after chilling as this may dull the flavor.)
- Category: garnish
- Method: salad
- Kitchen: salad
- Diet: vegetarian
