Summer Farro Salad

Name: Summer Farro Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked farro*; 1 cup shredded red cabbage; Half bell pepper, any color seeded and thinly sliced; 1 cup shredded carrot; 1/2 cucumber, seeded and sliced into thin half moons; 1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli florets; 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro; 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced; 1/4 cup crushed peanuts; 1/4 cup peanut butter; 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon sambal oelek**; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger; 1 small garlic clove, finely minced; 2 tablespoons water

By Alexandra Caspero on March 29, 2022

A beautiful rainbow salad filled with veggies, farro and a spicy peanut sauce.

Serves 4-6

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

The Best Summer Farro Salad! A healthy vegan farro salad with red cabbage, carrots, broccoli, fresh herbs and a spicy peanut sauce.

I know it’s only March, but I’ve got summer on the brain with this healthy farro salad recipe. It’s packed with all of the fresh flavors I want to eat right now– plenty of crunchy vegetables, chewy farro, fresh herbs, peanuts and a crave-able spicy peanut sauce.

If you haven’t tried farro before, I’ve got several farro salad recipes like my Mediterranean Farro Salad, Blueberry Farro Salad, Sweet Cherry Farro Salad and more. (View my complete list of farro recipes here)

This Summer Farro Salad is a must make any time of the year, but especially right now as Farmers Markets start to open and most of our diets gradually start including more fresh produce.

Ingredients you’ll need for the salad:

Cooked Farro (for cooking directions, see below!)
Shredded red cabbage
Bell pepper, any color
Shredded carrot
Cucumber
Broccoli florets
Cilantro
Scallions

Crushed peanuts, plus more for topping!

As with most salads, this one is customizable based on what you have in the house or what looks good at the market. I try as much as I can to create recipes that let you take control, I know that’s why I gravitate towards cooking over baking. Sub another vegetable that you’d prefer, play around with ratios, add more cilantro or scallions to taste. It all works.

Substitution ideas: Fresh corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, finely chopped red onion for the scallions, or basil or parsley for the cilantro. For extra protein, feel free to add in cooked chickpeas or white beans.

Ingredients you’ll need for the Spicy Peanut Sauce:

Peanut butter
Low sodium soy sauce (can substitute Tamari or liquid aminos for a gluten-free option)
Toasted sesame oil
Rice wine vinegar
Sambal oelek (a chili garlic paste that you should be able to find at most well-stocked grocery stores in either the condiment or International aisle. Can substitute red pepper flakes in a lesser amount if you can’t find it)
Maple syrup
Fresh ginger and fresh garlic

How to make this healthy summer farro salad

Once your farro is cooked, this salad couldn’t be easier to throw together in one bowl, which makes for easy cleanup. Start by whisking together all of the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl until very smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a tablespoon or two of water.

Add in the rest of the ingredients for the salad– all of the vegetables, cooked farro, cilantro and scallions. Toss well, taking care to ensure that all of the grains and vegetables are well-coated. Mix in chopped peanuts and serve, garnishing with more cilantro, scallions and chopped peanuts as desired.

How to cook farro

I have a whole tutorial on my Mediterranean Farro Salad post on choosing the right type of farro and how to cook it, but the cliff notes are below.

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 that 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 actual whole farro, you’ll have better success if you soak it overnight first, like beans, before cooking. To cook, rinse farro then place in a medium sized pot along with cooking liquid of choice, like water or broth.

For this recipe, you’ll use roughly 1 cup of uncooked farro and 3 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, then 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.

More Healthy Farro Salad Recipes

This farro salad is packed with so much texture and vibrant colors! I almost called this a rainbow farro salad because it’s so beautiful to look at, but this side dish screams summer to me so I went with that. I hope you love it as much as we do!

If you try this vegan Summer Farro Salad recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!

Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.