Mediterranean Farro Salad

Looking for a healthy, delicious summer Farro salad recipe? This Mediterranean farro salad is loaded with fresh summer veg and flavorful ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, so you’ll never get bored. This dish is perfect for side summer cookouts and a great vegetarian meal.

One of my favorite ways to “salad” is to combine whole grains with fresh veg and some little extras, like cheese, canned beans, and briny, salty little bits to perk up your tastebuds.

This farro salad with Mediterranean flavors like mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and olives checks every box.

Why this recipe works:

• It’s a healthy, filling satisfying dish.
• It has staying power, holding up in the refrigerator for days without wilting.
• No mayo means it’s perfect for picnics.
• The flavors of this farro summer salad are balanced and vibrant.
• A little goes a long way, because farro is a nutrient dense grain.
• You can serve this as a vegetarian main course or side dish.

Salad ingredients:

• Farro – Most farro takes about 25-30 minutes to cook, but Trader Joe’s sells a quick-cooking farro that cooks in 10 minutes. That’s what I used in this farro salad recipe.
• Green Beans – Use regular string beans, haricots verts or frozen beans that have been defrosted, but not cooked.
• Red Onions – very thinly sliced, or finely chopped.
• Carrots – for a pop of color and sweetness, carrots are delicious in the Mediterranean farro salad. I also like that they will hold up for several days (even with the dressing), making them a great addition to this recipe.
• Garbanzo Beans – I use canned beans that are well rinsed and drained. Chick peas are sturdy and won’t break down in this farro salad recipe the way other canned beans would.
• Tomato – Look for heavy ripe tomatoes, or use sliced grape or cherry tomatoes for a fresh bite.
• Sun Dried Tomato – I prefer the ones packed in oil because they’re sweeter and easier to chew.
• Kalamata Olives – Kalamata olives are associated with Greek cooking and therefore are perfect for this Mediterranean farro salad.
• Capers – have a briny, salty bite, so you don’t need a lot to get the full flavor.
• Fresh Mozzarella – You can use a whole ball of mozzarella diced into bite-sized pieces or try the miniature mozzarella pearls for convenience.
• Shallots – are a cross between onion and garlic and work well in the dressing for the farro salad.
• Dijon Mustard – helps to emulsify the dressing so that it clings to the farro and other salad ingredients.
• Red Wine Vinegar is my preferred vinegar for making salad dressings, but you can also use apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – you don’t have to use a very expensive finishing oil, but look for something green and fruity.
• Salt & Pepper – to season the salad dressing.
• Parsley – I use flat-leaf Italian parsley, but you can also use curly parsley for a pop of freshness.

Instructions:

1. Blanch and shock the green beans (directions below).
2. Cook the farro according to package directions and cool to room temperature.
3. Combine the farro, green beans, onions, carrots, chick peas, fresh tomato, sun-dried tomato, Kalamata olives, capers and mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl combine the shallots, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and whisk until emulsified. Stir in the parsley.
5. Pour the dressing over the farro salad and toss well.

This salad comes together quickly once the farro and green beans have been cooked. So, I recommend starting with them.

Start with the beans and farro

To expedite the prep, I like to blanch the green beans in the same water as I cook the farro. Because the farro needs to cook for longer, I start with the green beans.  

Blanch and shock the beans:

1. Cut the green beans into ½” to 1″ pieces, adding them to a large pot of boiling water and cooking for 4-5 minutes, so that they’re tender, but still firm.
2. Transfer the beans with a slotted spoon or kitchen spider to an ice water bath.

Plunging the legumes in ice water “shocks” the beans and stops the cooking process, so that they retain their texture and keep their vibrant green color. 

Cook the farro

1. Use the same pot where you cooked the green beans for the farro. No need to dirty another pot. Just ensure you have plenty of water in the pot, and return it to a boil.
2. Add the farro to the water, and cook until tender (10 minutes for quick cooking; 25-30 for traditional).
3. Drain the farro through a mesh strainer and return it to the pot.
4. Let the farro cool with the lid off while assembling the rest of the Italian bean salad.

Farro salads are blank canvases and it’s easy and fun to try new flavor combinations or swap out ingredients for something readily available from your fridge or pantry. Don’t feel like you have to stick to the mix-ins in this farro bowl exactly.

Variations

• If you don’t have shallots for the dressing, substitute 2 cloves of finely minced garlic.
• Swap fresh lemon juice for the red wine vinegar in the dressing, or use balsamic vinegar instead.
• Swap fresh mozzarella for chunks of feta cheese.
• Or keep it vegan by eliminating the cheese altogether or substituting a vegan cheese instead.
• Add in sliced pepperoncini peppers for more tanginess.
• Roasted or Fresh Diced Bell Peppers add color, crunch and sweetness.
• Swap green beans for thawed, frozen peas, diced cucumbers or add in a few handfuls of finely chopped kale or arugula.
• Including herbs like basil, mint, tarragon and fresh parsley will add another layer of freshness to the kale salad recipe. If you’re adding fresh herbs, I recommend storing leftovers for 1-2 days; beyond that, the fresh herbs will degrade and won’t hold their flavor and vibrance.

FAQ’s

What does Italian bean and farro salad taste like?

The crisp-tender veggies combined with the chewy texture of the grains give this Mediterranean salad a wonderful texture and bite.

The nuggets of fresh mozzarella and pops of briny olives and capers are like little treasures hidden throughout this hearty dish; sun-dried tomatoes are sweet and chewy.

Garbanzo beans add fiber and protein to this summer farro salad.

I prefer to serve summer farro salad at room temperature or slightly cool because the flavors will be more pronounced, but you can also eat it straight from the refrigerator.

More Farro Recipes:

• Lemony Farro and Chicken Salad
• Farro Pomegranate Kale Salad
• Warm Apple Butternut Farro
• Grilled Vegetables with Feta and Farro
• Nicoise Farro Salad

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