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    Hummusapien Β» Recipes Β» Lunch and Dinner Β» Mediterranean Farro Salad

    ★★★★★ from 7 reviews

    Mediterranean Farro Salad

    Published May 24, 2021 Β· Modified Dec 6, 2022 Β· by Alexis Joseph Β· 14 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Mediterranean Farro Salad with chickpeas, vegges, herbs, and feta plus a delicious dressing. A great healthy lunch or salad for a crowd!

    white bowl of farro salad

    I feel like farro is having a moment. Is it just because they mentioned it 37 times on the last season I watched of Top Chef?

    It's so darn nutty and chewy and honestly far tastier than most other grains with the exception of rice. Because who doesn't love rice!

    I love in my Winter Squash, Farro, and Pomegranate Salad, Seared Fish with Zucchini Farro, and Autumn Arugula Salad with Farro. It adds mighty texture and flavor. A double whammy of an ancient grain, I tell you!

    This salad is so filling. So satisfying. A salad people will ask you the recipe for, no doubt about it.

    How to make Mediterranean farro salad

    Did I mention how easy this salad is?

    1. Cook your farro. I like to use the quick cooking one from Trader Joe's.
    2. Meanwhile, make the dressing and chop all the veggies.
    3. Combine cooled quinoa, veggies, and dressing in a mixing bowl. Toss and devour!
    mixing bowl of colorful ingredients

    Key ingredients and substitutions

    • Farro: The base of this amazing salad. Nutty, a bit earthy, and delightfully chewy.
    • Red onion: For a nice bite and zing that contrasts well with the other ingredients.
    • Pepper: Add amazing color with bright, juicy bell pepper.
    • Sun-dried tomatoes: There's something about the chewiness I can't get enough of. You could also use regular tomatoes.
    • Parsley: Fresh parsley for herbaceous yumminess.
    • Chickpeas: Hooray for plant protein! You could omit them if you're not a fan.
    • Feta: The tang of feta is delicious. You could also do avocado!
    • Italian dressing: I love my easy homemade version in this salad but store-bought would work in a pinch!

    How to cook farro

    You can cook farro over the stove or in the Instant Pot. I like to get the quick-cooking kind from Trader Joe's that cooks in 10 minutes.

    • To make over the stove, boil a medium pot of salted water (a 1:3 ratio of farro to water is a safe bet), add the farro, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender but still chewy. Drain any excess liquid.
    • To make in the Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 7-8 minutes and then quick release any remaining pressure.

    Add-in and serving ideas

    This recipe makes quite a large batch, so you can totally cut it down if need be.

    • Add grilled chicken or shrimp if you're feeling a protein oomph.
    • Use whatever seasonal veggies you love, like fresh tomatoes, cucumber, celery, or radish.
    • Serve with a simple green salad and juicy grapes for a little snack plate!
    • Add something sweet, like dried cherries.
    • Add crunch with roasted pepitas, but sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, or pecans. Mmmmm.
    pink plate with farro salad

    Dietary swaps

    Make it vegan by omitting the cheese. Adding avocado would be delish, too.

    Make it gluten free by swapping the farro for brown or wild rice or quinoa.

    How to store

    The salad will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to four days. An extra squeeze of lemon will brighten it up!

    More salad recipes to drool over

    • Power Salad with Za'atar Sweet Potatoes
    • Healthy Broccoli Salad
    • Summer Quinoa Salad
    • Brussels Sprout Kale Caesar Salad

    LET'S DO THIS!

    Print
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    white bowl of farro salad

    Mediterranean Farro Salad Recipe

    ★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews
    • Author: Alexis Joseph
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings 1x
    • Category: Lunch and Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Mediterranean
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Gorgeous Mediterranean Farro Salad with chickpeas, bright vegetables, herbs, and feta plus a delicious dressing. A great healthy lunch or potluck salad for a crowd that gets better as it sits in the fridge! This recipe makes A LOT, so feel free to cut it in half.


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 1 ¼ cups farro
    • 2 bell peppers (I like orange and yellow here), diced
    • 1 small red onion, diced
    • 1 cup fresh parsley*, chopped
    • ½ cup kalamata olives, chopped
    • ¾ cup julienne-style sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
    • 3.5 oz feta cheese
    • 1 15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • 1 batch Italian Dressing

    Instructions

    1. Cook farro according to the package directions. Once it's done, drain any excess water and transfer to a medium bowl. Place bowl in the freezer for at least 20 minutes to expedite cooling while you finish prepping.
    2. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Place bell peppers, parsley, onion, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas in a large mixing bowl. Crumble on the feta (I like to use a block of feta that I crumble for the best flavor).
    3. Add the cooled farro and dressing and toss everything to combine. Serve chilled, as the flavor will get even better once it's sat in the refrigerator!

    Notes

    *In addition to parsley, I love adding a big handful of fresh chopped basil and dill if I have them on hand!

    COOKING FARRO: Cooking times vary depending on the type of farro. Pearled takes 15-20 minutes, semi-pearled 25-30 minutes, and whole 40 minutes.

    TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE: Sub quinoa or brown rice for the farro.

    Keywords: Mediterranean Farro Salad

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @hummusapien on Instagram. I love sharing what you make!

    About Alexis Joseph

    Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!

    5 Secrets to Delish, Healthy Lunches

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Rebecca says

      December 06, 2022 at 2:43 am

      This dish is delicious! But beware! It has a HUGE volume! I’ll be eating it for days! But a really small negative. Very Mediterranean and good for you. .

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        December 06, 2022 at 2:44 pm

        I'm so glad you love it! Haha I made sure to include a note in the description that it makes a LOT so people know ahead of time πŸ™‚ Thanks for the review, Rebecca!

        Reply
    2. Annum says

      September 24, 2021 at 9:07 pm

      This was a delicious salad to meal prep for lunches!

      Reply
    3. Suzanne says

      August 31, 2021 at 5:41 pm

      SO delicious and easy to make. Love having it in the fridge for a quick lunch!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        August 31, 2021 at 10:57 pm

        YESSS thanks a ton, Suzanne πŸ™‚

        Reply
    4. Janet says

      May 26, 2021 at 6:49 pm

      I really enjoyed this recipe! It was great right out of the refrigerator.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Taylor Swope says

      May 25, 2021 at 5:37 pm

      My new favorite recipe for easy lunches during the week. The flavor is so good and this is now my new favorite Italian dressing recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        May 27, 2021 at 11:40 pm

        Yayyyy thanks so much, Taylor!!

        Reply
    6. Janele says

      May 25, 2021 at 1:53 pm

      Farro IS having a moment...at least in my life! I'm in love with farro and had recently bought more to make for another dish so when I saw this recipe I decided to give it a try as well and LOVE it! Great flavors and textures. πŸ™‚

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        May 27, 2021 at 11:40 pm

        Love it, thanks so much Janele!! Farro is a winner!

        Reply
    7. Dylan says

      May 25, 2021 at 11:20 am

      Perfect for lunches! So fresh πŸ™‚

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        May 25, 2021 at 6:34 pm

        Yesss thanks a ton, Dylan!

        Reply
    8. Kate says

      May 24, 2021 at 9:56 pm

      If you are gluten free AND sick of quinoa too, sorghum might be a good alternative. This looks yummy, thank you! I will be trying it with sorghum πŸ™‚

      Reply
    9. Helen says

      May 24, 2021 at 8:20 pm

      I love your Italian dressing so I knew I'd love this recipe, too. I added cucumber. We loved it!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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