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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Italian Farro Salad

    Published: Apr 30, 2019, Last updated: Jul 30, 2019 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A delicious and easy Farro Salad recipe made with tomatoes, radish and herbs. It's perfect for lunch or as a healthy side dish www.insidetherustickitchen.com

    An Italian Farro Salad made with juicy and sweet cherry tomatoes, peppery radishes, fragrant fresh herbs, and a zingy vinaigrette. This feel-good salad is great for eating outdoors, as a packed lunch or a healthy side dish and couldn't be simpler to make!

    An overhead shot of an Italian farro salad in a bowl with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil

    Whenever you feel like you need a big bowl of goodness but fancy a salad with some bite and texture then THIS Italian farro salad is exactly what you need. It's packed with nutrition, tastes soo good and is super quick to prepare, winning!

    So What is Farro Exactly?

    Farro is an ancient Italian grain that's very similar to spelt or barley. It has a chewy texture, nutty flavour and is SO incredibly good for you as well as being very easy to prepare.

    It's so popular and commonly used in traditional Italian cuisine particularly in salads. The great thing about a farro salad is it can be prepped in advance and the flavours really get a chance to develop and soak into the grain as it sits, so delicious!

    How to Make Farro Salad - Step By Step

    Put the farro in a large saucepan, cover with plenty salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes until tender, drain and cool (photos 1 & 2).

    Add the lemon, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper into a large bowl and whisk until emulsified. Add the chopped herbs and stir (photos 3 & 4).

    Add all the vegetables to the bowl alongside with cooled farro. Mix everything together to combine. Check for seasoning and add more if required and serve (photos 5 & 6).

    Ways to Adapt this Salad

    You can add whatever you want to a farro salad and really take advantage of what the seasons have to offer it's also a great way to use up any leftover veggies you might have.

    Cucumber, chickpeas, peppers, artichokes, grilled veggies or even mozzarella would all work really well (just to name a few). Farro is a great, delicious and healthy base for adding whatever veggies you have in your fridge or feel like that day and I often mix it up with different flavours and textures.

    Top Tip: Use vegetables that are in season (and good quality) for the very best tasting salad. I don't use a ton of ingredients and you don't need much if everything tastes great.

    The Dressing

    Don't be afraid to change up the dressing either, I kept this recipe super simple and fresh and I love it on sunny days for lunch or as a side to fish or grilled chicken for dinner.

    If you want to serve it as a main why not add in some extra herbs or spices you could even add some mustard into the dressing for a little kick!

    A close up of a farro salad in a blue bowl with basil and cherry tomatoes

    Top Tips for Making the Best Farro Salad

    • Check the cooking time for your particular brand of farro as it may differ.
    • Don't forget to season the water for cooking the farro with salt it's really important for adding flavour to the salad otherwise it'll taste bland.
    • Make sure to whisk the dressing until emulsified (combined completely and smooth in appearance) before tossing with the rest of the ingredients.
    • Let the farro cool before adding to the salad. It doesn't need to be completely cold if you are eating it straight away but it shouldn't be hot.
    • No farro? spelt or barley would be great alternatives and can be prepared in the exact same way.
    • This salad is so easy to adapt with different veggies, herbs, and spices so add in whatever you like!
    • This salad will last really well covered in the fridge for 1-2 days.

    More Delicious Italian Salads You Might Like:

    • Tuna Panzanella – Italian Bread Salad
    • Tuna White Bean Salad with Basil and Lemon
    • Classic Caprese Salad – Easy, Fresh & Delicious
    • Loaded Lentil Salad With Eggplant And Burrata

    If you've tried this Farro Salad or any other recipe on the blog please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I'm getting up to.

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    5 from 3 votes

    Italian Farro Salad

    An Italian Farro Salad made with juicy and sweet cherry tomatoes, peppery radishes, fragrant fresh herbs, and a zingy vinaigrette. This feel-good salad is great for eating outdoors, as a packed lunch or a healthy side dish and couldn't be simpler to make!
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 4 people (or 6 as a side dish)
    Calories 333kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • ~1 ¼ cups Farro (250g)
    • ~7 ounces cherry tomatoes , cut in half (200g)
    • 1 red onion , finely sliced
    • 3 radishes , finely sliced
    • 1 large handful of basil , roughly chopped
    • 1 large handful of parsley , roughly chopped
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil
    • Juice of half a lemon
    • Salt and pepper to season

    Instructions

    • Put the farro in a large sauce pan, cover with plenty salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes until tender, drain and cool.
    • Add the lemon, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper into a large bowl and whisk until emulsified. Add the chopped herbs and stir.
    • Add all the vegetables to the bowl alongside with cooled farro. Mix everything together to combine. Check for seasoning and add more if required. Serve.

    Notes

    • Check the cooking time for your particular brand of farro as it may differ.
    •  
    • Don't forget to season the water for cooking the farro with salt it's really important for adding flavour to the salad otherwise it'll taste bland.
    • Make sure to whisk the dressing until emulsified (combined completely and smooth in appearance) before tossing with the rest of the ingredients.
    • Let the farro cool before adding to the salad. It doesn't need to be completely cold if you are eating it straight away but it shouldn't be hot.
    • No farro? spelt or barley would be great alternatives and can be prepared in the exact same way.
    • This salad is so easy to adapt with different veggies, herbs, and spices so add in whatever you like!
    • This salad will last really well covered in the fridge for 1-2 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 324mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 14.2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

    More Salads

    • Mozzarella Bocconcini, Pesto and Sun Blushed Tomatoes
    • Arugula Salad with lemon and Parmesan
    • Italian Tuna Potato Salad
    • Chickpea Tuna Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maya

      July 27, 2019 at 10:55 am

      I recently discovered Farro while dining at an Italian restaurant in Tuscany. And since we're underway in our own motorhome, I decided to buy some at the grocers and give it a go.
      I had some carrots which I chopped fine and sauteed with a bit of onion.
      I then added fresh olive oil from the farmer and Fagioli Spagna (large white beans) with fresh basilikum, celery, onion, and lemon.
      Just before serving, I added some Buffala Mozzarela. All while absorbing the beautiful countryside in the mountains of the regional national park at Rossa e di Frasassi, Italy.
      Thanks for providing the basics to such a lovely ingredient.
      Bella Italia! <35 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        July 28, 2019 at 7:21 pm

        Hi Maya, oh wow your recipe sounds so delicious as does the beautiful setting in the Tuscan countryside. I can't think of a more perfect evening!

        Reply
    2. Jo Thrasher •

      May 06, 2019 at 7:35 pm

      Loving the crunchy radishes in here!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Lorraine

      August 30, 2017 at 6:59 pm

      Nice and healthy, looks delicious!5 stars

      Reply
    4. kristin mccarthy

      March 26, 2017 at 11:14 pm

      omg yes! so much yes.

      Reply
    5. Miz Helen

      March 24, 2017 at 11:33 pm

      Hi Emily,
      Your Farro Salad looks delicious and we will really enjoy it! Hope you have a fantastic weekend and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday.
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
    6. Tara

      March 23, 2017 at 12:55 pm

      Such a beautiful salad! I love all the colors. I have actually never tried farro before. Love your tips for preparing it.

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        March 23, 2017 at 7:55 pm

        You'll love it, I'm sure! ☺️

        Reply
    7. Alyssa

      March 23, 2017 at 12:36 pm

      I love farro! It seems like such a fancy grain but it's so easy to make. This salad looks great for Spring! Hope you enjoy time with your husband's family!

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        March 23, 2017 at 7:55 pm

        I love it too. Aw thank you Alyssa you're so kind.

        Reply
    8. Carlee

      March 23, 2017 at 12:25 pm

      What a delicious looking salad. So fresh and yummy!

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        March 23, 2017 at 7:54 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    9. jane @ littlesugarsnaps

      March 23, 2017 at 11:24 am

      I love Farro. For some reason I've never made enough to have leftovers for a speedy lunch the next day, so thanks for the tip - I'll be making plenty of this lemony, herby salad of yours.

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        March 23, 2017 at 7:54 pm

        No problem, hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry

      March 23, 2017 at 11:15 am

      What a vibrant and healthy looking dish, love all the herbs

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        March 23, 2017 at 7:54 pm

        Thanks so much Bintu!

        Reply

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