Mediterranean Farro Salad

This Mediterranean Farro Salad has been on constant rotation as a make-ahead lunch salad that I knew I had to share it with you now. Similar to my winter wheat berry salad, this one tastes great right after making or later.

This one is jam-packed with both fresh and jarred vegetables, making it a great winter meal in my mind that tastes like a salad but hearty enough to eat on cooler days. Tossed with a bright Greek-inspired dressing, this farro salad will quickly become a staple in your house as well.

 How to cook farro

Because of possible label confusion on which type you are getting, I recommend going by the package directions for cook times or by taste– when farro is done, it’s done. The farro I buy from Bob’s Red Mill takes 30 minutes to cook, but the one from Trader Joe’s takes 10. 

If you are lucky enough to find whole farro, you’ll have better success if you soak it overnight, like beans, before cooking. To cook, rinse farro, then place it in a medium-sized pot with the cooking liquid of choice, like water or broth. 

For this recipe, you’ll use 1 cup of dry farro and 3 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender and chewy. The cooking time depends on what type of farro you are using: pearled typically takes 15 minutes, while semi-pearled takes 25-30. 

Can you overcook farro?

Farro keeps its texture, even if cooked on the stove too long. However, you’ll want to make sure that you have enough liquid so that the bottom doesn’t burn. If your farro still isn’t done after 25 minutes, check the liquid levels and add more as needed. 

You can also cook farro like pasta; bring a larger amount of water to a boil, then add farro, cook until al dente, drain, and let cool.

What is farro?

Considered to be an ancient grain, farro is similar in size to barley, with a nuttier taste and chewy texture. Nutritionally, it’s higher protein and fiber than other grains; a 1/4 cup of raw farro contains 5g of fiber and 6g of protein. 

Types of Farro

There’s a lot of confusion about farro, especially if you are sourcing it it in your local grocery store. While farro is often referred to as one grain, it’s really three. Farro Piccolo (einkorn), farro medio (emmer) and farro grande (spelt). The emmer variety is what you typically find in the grocery store, though it’s often confused with spelt which is different. 

Technically, there are three different types of this farro: whole farro, which retains all of the hard outer bran layer and therefore all of the whole grain’s nutrients- and fiber; semipearled, which part of the bran are removed; or pearled, which takes much less time to cook but has most of the bran removed. 

Confusing matters even more is that most farro sold in the US is semi-pearled or pearled farro, though the front label usually reads just farro instead of pearled.

Mediterranean Farro Salad Ingredient Notes 

In addition to the cooked farro, you’ll need bell peppers of any color, though I love orange and red for the pop of color against the farro.

Sun-dried tomatoes are one of my favorite ingredients in my plant-predominant kitchen as they add so much umami flavor to dishes. I don’t recommend omitting them as they add in texture and flavor. Same with the olives. Kalamata olives are my go-to pick, but black olives will also work.

I add feta cheese, but you can also use dairy-free cheese if you’d like. I’m partial to Violife’s Just like Feta for this salad.

If you can’t find or don’t want to use farro, brown rice or quinoa will work in its place. For an extra hit of greens, I also love fresh arugula tossed into this one right before serving.

Vinaigrette Notes

I’m convinced that once you try homemade dressing, it’s very hard to go back. This Greek Vinaigrette is so flavorful and really brings this farro salad together. 

If you don’t regularly make your own dressing, know that it’s easier than you think! All you need is lemon juice, garlic, dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, and thyme.

To make, whisk together 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon each of maple syrup, salt, and thyme.

I know the dijon sounds odd, but it helps to emulsify the olive oil and lemon juice together. My favorite olive oil brands are California Ranch and Kosterina.

This dressing is almost drinkable and versatile for so many other salad recipes! Try it in my Greek orzo pasta salad or marinated white bean salad.

How to make this Mediterranean Farro Salad

Cook the Farro

Rinse the farro, then cook until tender. See above for more details on cooking time, or in the recipe card below.

Toss with rest of ingredients

Add the cooked farro to a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients and add the dressing. Season to taste as desired and serve.

More Mediterranean-inspired salads:

If you like this Mediterranean Farro Salad, you’ll love these other inspired salad recipes

• Cherry Caprese Pasta Salad
• Wheat Berry Salad with Squash
• Grilled Panzanella Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad 
• Marinated Lentil Salad
• Sweet Cherry and Farro Salad
• Greek couscous salad
• Grilled corn and Farro Salad

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!