It doesn’t get much fresher than this. Light and simple, yet full of great flavor and lots of satisfying texture! This salad is a regular staple at my house. It makes a great side or even an entire meal!
I’m big on using grains in salads. They elevate a salad from side dish to a meal in itself without having to add meat. And since this is a Mediterranean salad, of course I’m adding farro. I just love its nutty flavor and chewy texture! Plus its high content of protein and fiber keeps me full and happy!
Here’s what you need:
Start by cooking the farro.
Cooking farro is easy business but it does take some time, so do this step first before you even get your veggies out of the fridge.
Add the dry farro to a pot with 3 cups of water and salt. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat to simmer. I use whole farro, which takes about 40 to 45 minutes to finish cooking. You could use semi-pearled or pearled farro, which take less time to cook aren’t as nutrient dense as whole.
Once done, drain out any remaining water and pour the farro out onto a large plate or small sheet pan to stop it from cooking further. Place it in your refrigerator to cool down a bit. It does soak up the dressing best when it is still just slightly warm but I don’t want it to still be screaming hot when I toss it with my veggies and herbs.
The rest of the salad comes together quickly.
Dice the cucumber and tomato and thinly slice the red onion. Add it to a large bowl with the chopped parsley. Feel free to add other veggies or herbs to personalize your salad. Basil, artichoke hearts, olives, chick peas or even avocado would be great here!
Add the olive oil, salt and lemon juice. Give the salad a big stir to make sure everything is well combined.
Once the farro has cooled a bit, add it to the bowl. The last ingredient you will add is the feta but make sure the farro is actually completely cool before adding it because it can melt.
Place your salad in the refrigerator to marry until you need it. It tastes best after hanging a little while! One thing I really love about this salad is its shelf life! I usually make an enormous batch of this and keep it refrigerated for 2-3 days. It’s there waiting for me when I am starving and want something healthy but don’t have time to cook!
Other recipes to try:
Mediterranean Farro Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry farro whole
- 3/4 tsp salt divided
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 1/4 cup red onion sliced very thin
- 3-4 tbsp parsley chopped
- 4-6 ounces feta crumbled or diced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Make the Farro
- Rinse the farro first in a fine mesh strainer. Fill a medium pot with 3 cups of water and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the farro and bring the water to a boil. Immediately turn the heat to simmer. Cover and cook. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes.Drain off any excess water and place the farro into the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Make the Salad
- Add all the veggies to a large bowl. Add the chilled farro, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil and remaining salt and mix to combine. Add the feta last so it will keep its shape in the salad. Place the salad in the fridge to let all the flavors marry together before serving.
Delicious.