Meet Alex Caspero
Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, Plant-Based Chef and Yoga Instructor. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
June 6, 2016
Blueberry and Farro Salad
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!
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Blueberry & Farro Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x
Description
Blueberry 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 1x
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth (I love Pacific broth)
- 1 english cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- salt/pepper
Instructions
- Rinse farro and place in a saucepan along with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain off any excess broth.
- Let farro cool to room temperature and place in a bowl with the diced cucumber, blueberries, mint, feta cheese and pistachios.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and pinch of salt and pepper.
- Toss the salad with dressing and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
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17 comments
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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!
This is so my type or recipe. Yum!
This is so my type or recipe. Yum!
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.