Farro Salad
Servings: 6 - 6 people
For the salad
- 1 cup (200 grams) pearled farro uncooked
- 3 cups (700 grams) vegetable broth or water
- 1½ cups (210 grams) cucumber diced
- 1½ cups (240 grams) cherry tomatoes halved
- 1½ cups (210 grams) green bell pepper diced
- ½ cup (80 grams) canned corn drained
- ½ cup (60 grams) olives
- ⅓ cup (30 grams) red onion chopped
- ⅓ cup (10 grams) parsley chopped - sub ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 can (15 oz) (230 grams) chickpeas drained
- 4 ounces (100 grams) feta cheese or dairy-free feta, optional
For the Dressing
- 4 tablespoons (4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons (4 tablespoons) vinegar apple cider or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) black pepper
- Cook the farro – Rinse 1 cup pearled farro and boil it in 3 cups vegetable broth for 15–25 minutes until al dente. Add more broth if needed. Spread on a tray to cool—don’t rinse with water.
- Prep the veggies – While the farro cooks, rinse 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas and prep all veggies: 1½ cups cucumber (diced), 1½ cups cherry tomatoes (halved), 1½ cups green bell pepper (diced), ½ cup canned corn (drained), ½ cup olives, ⅓ cup red onion (chopped), and ⅓ cup parsley (chopped).Add everything to a large mixing bowl along with the cooled farro and 4 ounces feta cheese (optional)
- Make dressing & mix – Whisk 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.Pour over the salad, toss gently, and adjust salt to taste. Serve or refrigerate.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Pearled farro – Sub brown rice, barley, quinoa, or buckwheat.
- Veggie Broth – Sub water.
- Cucumber – Sub radishes or celery.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Sub Roma, plum, or vine tomatoes.
- Bell Pepper – Sub any color bell pepper.
- Corn – Sub frozen corn, baby corn, or peas.
- Olives – Sub green, Kalamata, capers, artichokes, or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Red Onion – Sub green onions or shallots.
- Chickpeas – Sub cannellini, black beans, lentils, or kidney beans.
- Parsley – Sub mint, dill, chives, cilantro, basil, or dried oregano.
- Feta – Sub plant-based feta, parmesan, mozzarella balls, or goat cheese.
- Honey – Sub maple syrup.
- Red wine vinegar – Sub apple cider or lemon juice.
- Cook in broth – Use veggie broth (with bay leaf or thyme) for extra flavor.
- Don’t overcook – Farro should be al dente, not mushy.
- Cool it right – Spread on a tray to cool; don’t rinse—it dulls the flavor.
- Use fresh veggies – Crisp cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, and crunchy peppers make all the difference.
- Balance flavors – Add creamy, briny, sweet, and herby elements for depth.
- Let it rest – Chill 30 mins before serving for best flavor.
- Season last – Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or lemon.
