Farro Salad Recipe

Farro salad is vibrant and fresh, with a perfect balance of crisp and crunchy vegetables alongside the chewy nuttiness of the wholesome farro grain. This grain salad is ideal to serve as a summer salad at picnics, barbecues, and potlucks when the weather is warm, but it works just as well as a fall or even winter dish, too. In fact, this hearty salad is super versatile—so you can whip it up using just about any combination of vegetables you have on hand.

You can get ahead with this recipe by cooking the farro in advance and letting it cool before combining it with the rest of the ingredients. The grain works best if it’s cooked and cooled, then patted dry. This way, it doesn’t absorb all the dressing and dry out the rest of the salad.

Learn how to make farro salad, then get creative with all this way to enjoy this easy dish.

Farro Salad Ingredients

To make farro salad, you will need these ingredients, all readily available at conventional grocery stores and supermarkets:

• Pearled farro: Pearled farro cooks faster than whole farro because it has had its outer bran removed. You can use whole farro (or any other grain for that matter); you’ll just need to adjust your cooking time and follow the package’s directions.
• Kosher salt and black pepper: For seasoning the cooking water and the salad.
• Olive oil: The base of the easy vinaigrette.
• Aged sherry vinegar: This type of vinegar has deeper, stronger flavors that aren’t as biting as other wine vinegars. It’s also sweeter, which balances the dish’s flavors nicely. You could use red white vinegar 1:1 if you don’t have the sherry vinegar.
• Honey: Rounds out the sweetness of the vinaigrette. You might need a bit more honey if you swap the vinegars.
• Whole-grain mustard: Helps to emulsify the vinaigrette and adds a nice tang to it, too.
• Sugar snap peas: Cut these into smaller pieces so they are easy to chew and they can be softened faster by the vinaigrette.
• Radishes: Adds a peppery punch to the salad.
• Carrots: Use a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons that are not only beautiful but also easier to eat.
• Smoked almonds: The subtle smoke flavor in these almonds really stands out amid the other flavors of the farro salad. You can use plain if you don’t have any smoked almonds.
• Packed arugula: A little bit of these peppery greens adds volume to the salad but also a nice leafy look.

How To Make Farro Salad

Cooking the farro is the most time-consuming part of this recipe. While the grains cook, you can prep the vinaigrette and the vegetables. Here’s a brief outline before you get started:

• Step 1. Cook the farro: Stir together the water, farro, and half a teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender (about 20 minutes). Drain and rinse it under cold water, and shake dry.
• Step 2. Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, black pepper, and the remaining salt in a large bowl until the mixture is emulsified.
• Step 3. Add salad ingredients to dressing: Add the cooked farro, sugar snap peas, radishes, carrots, and almonds to a bowl with dressing, and toss. Finish by adding the arugula and tossing until just combined. Transfer the salad to a platter and serve.

What Is Farro?

Farro is an ancient whole grain that comes from wheat. It has a nutty flavor and a chewy texture, and it’s used in a wide array of salads, soups, and side dishes.

Our Tips for the Best Farro Salad

This grain salad is fairly simple and easy to make, but a few tips from the Southern Living Test Kitchen will make it far easier and tastier:

• Add greens last: Since the arugula is fragile and wilts easily, you should add it last, after the salad is complete and seasoned to your liking, and right before serving. 
• Dry the farro: Pat the farro dry with a towel to prevent excess moisture in the salad.
• Make it a main: Add grilled chicken or shrimp for heartiness and protein.

How To Store Farro Salad

This salad can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. The farro may absorb the dressing as it sits, so making a second batch for a quick, light addition just before serving is a good idea.

Can You Make Farro Salad Ahead?

If you make this salad in advance, keep the vegetables separate from the farro and only dress the salad right before serving.

More Salad Recipes

The light and filling salad recipes are great additions to dinner or lunch any time of year:

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.