This Mediterranean Farro Salad has a colorful mix of fresh veggies and tender, nutty farro tossed in an easy homemade flavorful dressing.  It’s a perfectly balanced meal or side that’s an easy to make healthy alternative to pasta salad.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You'll Love This Mediterranean Farro Salad Recipe
• 🛒 Ingredients for Farro Salad
• 🔪 How to Make Mediterranean Farro Salad
• 💡 Tips
• ☑️ Storage Instructions
• 🔄 Substitutions and Additions
• What is farro in salad?
• What exactly is farro?
• Which is healthier, quinoa or farro?
• Is farro an inflammatory food?
• 🍽️ More Healthy Salads

❤️ Why You'll Love This Mediterranean Farro Salad Recipe

• Tender and nutty cooked farro
• Tossed with a colorful mix of fresh veggies
• Easy homemade dressing to give it lots of flavor
• Perfect for potlucks and BBQ's
• Great for meal prepping to enjoy throughout the week

If you’ve never had farro before, it’s an ancient wheat grain that cooks up very similar to barley. It’s slightly chewy and has a nutty flavor.  It’s perfect for meal prepping or making large salads for potlucks and BBQ’s.

I like to make a batch, then add it to salads throughout the week. It’s fairly mild, so it can handle just about any flavors you add to it.  It only takes about 15 minutes to make and is easy to find at most grocery stores.

What’s great about this recipe is that it keeps really well in the fridge. So you can munch on it throughout the week, either as a whole meal or side.

🛒 Ingredients for Farro Salad

• Water
• Farro
• Chickpeas
• Greek Salad Dressing
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Bell pepper
• Feta cheese
• Kalamata olives
• Red onion
• Mint
• Salt

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Saucepan
• Serving bowl

🔪 How to Make Mediterranean Farro Salad

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.  Once boiling, give the farro a good rinse, then add it into the boiling water along with the salt.

Simmer uncovered for 15-17 minutes or until cooked through and slightly chewy.

While the farro is cooking, chop up all your veggies.  It’s best to try to make them all around the same size, making it easier to eat.

Also prepare the Greek Salad Dressing and set it aside to allow the flavors to meld.

Add the farro to a large bowl, along with the remaining ingredients, except for the dressing.

Pour the dressing over the top, then toss to combine. Add the chopped mint over the top and it’s ready to serve.

💡 Tips

• If your farro is pearled, it will be ready in about 15-17 minutes. If it's not, it could take closer to 30 minutes.
• Always rinse your farro under cold water before cooking, removing any dust or debris it might have.
• Keep an eye on the farro like you would when boiling pasta.  If you don’t cook it long enough, it will be too firm.  If you overcook it, it will be mushy, instead of a little firm and chewy.
• Save time and do all your veggie chopping and make the dressing while the farro is cooking.  If you wanted to prep this in advance, you can prep everything beforehand and store everything in separate containers.  
• One thing I would recommend is heating up the farro before assembling the salad. This way the farro will be warm when you add the dressing and will better absorb it and the flavors.

☑️ Storage Instructions

Store leftover farro salad in an airtight container for 5-7 days.

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

You can switch up some of the veggies if you’d like, depending on what you prefer or have on hand.  Here are some ideas to consider:

• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Roasted red peppers
• Goat cheese
• Capers
• Cannellini beans
• Artichoke hearts 

What is farro in salad?

You can honestly add just about any ingredients to a farro salad. Think of it as another pasta, where you'd add fresh veggies to make a pasta salad. It absorbs dressings really well, so you can add the flavors that you like and they won't compete with the farro.

What exactly is farro?

It's an ancient wheat grain that is very nutrient-dense and rich in fiber, so it's ideal for just about any diet, especially the Mediterranean Diet.

Which is healthier, quinoa or farro?

They are both healthy, but if you are gluten intolerant, quinoa would be the better option for you. Farro is better at controlling blood sugar and overall gut health.

Is farro an inflammatory food?

Yes, it is considered anti-inflammatory. It's also loaded with nutrients and has several health benefits that you can read more about in this article.

🍽️ More Healthy Salads

• Chopped Kale Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Chickpea Salad
• Smoked Salmon Salad
• Spinach and Arugula Salad