Blueberry and Farro Salad! This sweet and savory salad is perfect for summer entertaining! Fresh blueberries, chewy farro, cucumber and feta in a lemon-mint dressing.
I’ve been swimming in blueberries lately (thanks to a recent TV appearance) and wanted to put them to use in new and interesting ways. Sure, blueberries are delightful on their own, but it’s rare for me to use fruit in dishes other than desserts, drinks or fruit salad.
This salad was born out of a “little this, little that” magic. Tasting and editing along the way until I got the perfect bite. Chewy farro, salty feta, sweet blueberries, crunchy pistachios and cooling cucumber all play off each other beautifully in this salad. Texture lovers, this summer salad is for you.
If you haven’t tried farro before, this is the perfect recipe to start with. I knew I needed a hearty grain to stand up to the other flavors, so chewy, nutty farro was my go-to choice. If you can’t find farro, consider wheat berries or bulgur wheat instead.
Like most summer salads, I believe that this one gets better with age. I’ve made it a few times now and though I like it immediately, it tastes best after sitting for an hour or two.
Some tips:
Make sure to peel and seed your cucumber before dicing. Yes, I know you’ll lose some of the fiber (and nutrients), but serving it this way is much more complementary to the other textures in the salad.
I like to buy the large feta cube (packed in salty water) rather than the pre-crumbled option. Crumbling it yourself allows for bigger hunks of salty goodness, plus the packing water makes this version much more flavorful.
You can reuse this dressing on other grain/green salads this summer! I’ll sometimes make a large batch and then store the rest in a mason jar in the fridge to use throughout the week. Homemade dressing will last ~1-2 weeks in the fridge.
That’s it! This salad is so bright and refreshing, it’s perfect to pair with whatever you’re serving off the grill. I recently made this for a simple al fresco dinner of grilled vegetables with chimichurri sauce and this salad to pair. While that meal was just for the two of us, I plan on doing it again for a larger crowd. A giant platter of charred vegetables and this big, beautiful salad in the middle!
Summer, I am so excited you’re back. xo
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Print
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 -6 servings 1xBlueberry and Farro Salad! This sweet and salty salad is perfect for summer entertaining! Fresh blueberries, chewy farro, cucumber and feta in a lemon-mint dressing. Vegetarian.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Yield: 4 -6 servings 1xTag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge
The Ultimate Plant-Based Protein Cookbook + Course
(Includes 40+ recipes!)
FREE 7-DAY COURSE + COOKBOOK
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
[…] I’ve been on a huge farro kick lately (see here and here), I knew I wanted to doctor up a can of READ’s 3 bean salad with some farro and […]
[…] Night 1: BLTs make the ultimate lazy summer dinner. We’ve been jazzing ours up by stirring pesto into the mayonnaise we use, adding a fried egg to the sandwich or going all-out on really good crusty bread. This week it might be time to add pimiento cheese to the mix. Night 2: Eggplant and Olive Pizza Night 3: Tomato and Watermelon Salad (this would be great with grilled shrimp) Nights 4 and 5: Lasagna with spinach and peppers Night 6: Melon and crispy prosciutto salad Night 7: Blueberry and farro salad […]
[…] love faro over the past year. If you’re looking for a yummy grain alternative, especially in salads, try […]
Just would like to double check the amount of lemon juice – is it 1/4 tablespoon? Thank you!
Whoops! Should be 1/4 cup- I will make those changes now. Thanks for the alert!
[…] been loving fresh blueberries lately (and these drinks are a great way to use up any limp/sour ones), but I think any fresh or […]
This is so my type or recipe. Yum!
This is so my type or recipe. Yum!
[…] been on a savory fruit kick for the last few recipes (see here & here), so why stop now? Raspberry Gazpacho seemed like a natural- but unexpected- twist on the classic […]
Alex! I love the combination of sweet blueberries and salty feta. And I can just imagine how amazing a dinner party with this salad and a massive platter of grilled veggies would be 🙂 Although we are in the start of winter over here, I think this will still be a favourite when it makes an appearance on my table soon!
Alex! I love the combination of sweet blueberries and salty feta. And I can just imagine how amazing a dinner party with this salad and a massive platter of grilled veggies would be 🙂 Although we are in the start of winter over here, I think this will still be a favourite when it makes an appearance on my table soon!
It was perfect for summer! But, you could sub almost any fresh fruit in this recipe, I bet pomegranate arils would be yummy for winter!
Farro is one of my most favorite grains and I’ve been seriously crushing on blueberries recently so this sounds amazing! And I love the sweet-savory combo 🙂 Looks perfect balanced!
Farro is one of my most favorite grains and I’ve been seriously crushing on blueberries recently so this sounds amazing! And I love the sweet-savory combo 🙂 Looks perfect balanced!
Me too! I’ve recently really been into different sweet-salty/savory combos and this is one of my favorites.
Congratulations on the TV appearance! Very cool! This salad is so unique, I love it. I might have to make some tofu feta just for this 🙂 I’ve also had farrow a couple times but I really like it too. It’s fun to try out new grains 🙂
Isn’t it!? I feel like I always default to rice, pasta or quinoa but I like trying to break out of my comfort zone. I hope you do! If you try it and like it, let me know and I’ll add it to my notes.
leave a comment