Farro Salad
This Greek farro salad is hearty and satisfying, with bright and bold Mediterranean flavours to make it delicious. It might just be the perfect lunch!
Have you tried farro before? I’ll be honest, it’s something that I’ve had many times and I love it (especially with Coconut Chickpea Curry instead of rice!), but I always have trouble working it into my regular eating routine. This easy farro salad has changed the game, though. It makes it easy to add this hearty, nutty, delightfully chewy grain into my day—paired with vegan feta, lots of veggies, and a bright lemon vinaigrette, this farro salad is a lunch I spend all morning looking forward to! (Those are the best lunches, aren’t they?)
Why This Farro Salad Is the Perfect Lunch
Here’s why this farro salad is worth adding to your mid-day menu.
- Packed with veggies. Some grain salads are mostly grains, but this farro salad is bursting with fresh, vibrant flavours and textures from cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, red onion, and more. Plus that divine lemony dressing!
- Balanced with protein. It’s not all about the grains and veggies though! This farro salad also has chickpeas and tofu feta for added protein.
- Great for meal prep. Not only is this salad easy to prepare, it’s also perfect for meal prep since it tastes even better the next day, after all the ingredients have had time to marinate in the dressing.
Notes on Ingredients
Since this is a salad, most of the ingredients you’ll need are fresh produce. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Salad:
- Farro – Rinse this in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
- Water or vegetable broth – I like to use my homemade vegetable broth, which is made with veggie scraps.
- Chickpeas – Another option is white beans, which would also work well with the flavours in this farro salad.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber – I like to use English cucumbers, which have fewer seeds.
- Red bell pepper – Yellow or orange will also work, as they have a similar sweet, mild flavour.
- Red onion
- Kalamata olives – Pit these if they’re not already, then cut them in half.
- Fresh parsley
- Salad greens – I used baby greens.
- Vegan feta cheese – You can buy this at the grocery store, but I like to use my homemade tofu feta.
For the Dressing:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice – Freshly squeezed juice has a brighter, bolder flavour than bottled.
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic – The lemon juice will tame the bite of the fresh garlic, so the dressing won’t be overly garlicky.
- Dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Farro Salad
Here, you’ll find a brief overview of the steps for making this farro salad, but the full instructions are at the bottom of the post.
- Cook the farro. Bring the water or broth to a boil, then add the farro. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the farro is tender. Drain and cool.
- Prepare the dressing. Whisk together the dressing ingredients until the lemon juice and oil emulsify.
- Assemble the salad. Toss the farro with the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, parsley, salad greens, vegan feta, and dressing.
- Finish. Refrigerate the farro salad for 30 minutes to let the flavours come together, or serve right away.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overcook the farro. It should be tender but still have a chewy texture to give the salad a nice bite.
- Chill the salad before serving. This allows the dressing to really soak into the farro and veggies, making it extra delicious!
- Choose the right greens. If you’re making this farro salad for meal prep, choose a green that’s more tender than crisp, like spinach or arugula. Crunchy greens like romaine will lose their texture, but spinach and arugula are still fine when wilted.
- Try it with crispy chickpeas. Add some crunch to your salad with Crispy Roasted Chickpeas.
Serving Suggestions
This farro salad works well as a light lunch on its own or with Crispy Homemade Falafel. I also like serving it as a side dish with Lemon Pepper Tofu or Vegan Chicken Parmesan.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover farro salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. With all the fresh ingredients, this is not a recipe that works well for freezing.
More Satisfying Vegan Salad Recipes
Enjoy friends! If you make this farro salad, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Farro Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- ¾ cup uncooked farro, rinsed – 150g
- 3 cups water or vegetable broth, 720ml
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed – 170g
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved – 170g
- 1 medium cucumber, diced – 200g
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced – 170g
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced – 40g
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved – 100g
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped – 15g
- 2 cups salad greens of your choice, I used baby greens mix – 70g
- ½ cup vegan feta cheese, crumbled – 75g
For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 45ml
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 30ml
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 5g
- 1 garlic clove, minced – 3g
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1g
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cook the Farro:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water or vegetable broth to a boil.
- Add the rinsed farro and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until tender but chewy.
- Drain any excess water and let the farro cool to room temperature.
Prepare the Dressing:
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Assemble the Salad:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled farro, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, parsley, salad greens and vegan feta.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until well-coated.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld, or serve right away.
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
