Summer Farro Salad

It has been hot here in Kentucky this week! Like, summer hot! It’s not officially summer yet but these temps have encouraged me to start making summer-like meals. I think we grilled out at least 4 times last week. This “summer” farro salad was a tasty and filling side that paired well with our grilled pork chops one evening.

What is farro?

It is a whole grain that is most commonly used in Italian cuisine. This may be because it dates back to ancient Rome and is still grown in Italy. Farro is also quite healthy. Some people consider it a superfood. According to Food Network, farro will “…give you a hefty dose of vitamins A, E and minerals like iron and magnesium.”

After making this summer farro salad, I realized that farro is a great alternative to rice or quinoa. It’s a versatile grain that is chewy and sticky like rice but has a great nutty tasty that makes a dish flavorful. I will definitely keep farro stocked in the pantry to switch up some of my rice based dishes.

Cooking Summer Farro Salad

Cooking this dish is easy to make. It takes about 30 minutes to cook. Because this particular side is served cold, you will have to allow about 25-30 minutes of passive time to allow the cooked farro to cool. Overall the steps are easy though. Basically you chop up your veggies, cook the farro, let the farro cool, make a vinaigrette and mix it all together.

I also tossed in some fresh herbs from the patio. The herb garden I planted with my son is growing strong and convenient for dishes like this one. To read more about that adventure, click HERE.

Overall, this was an amazing cool dish dish for a hot day. The tangy vinaigrette and salty feta cheese complimented the nuttiness of the farro. The farro itself was so filling that no other sides were needed for this meal. And of course, the cucumbers and cherry tomatoes give the dish a summer feel.

Summer Farro Salad

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

For the Farro

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2/3 cup yellow onion chopped
• 2 cups farro
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half
• 1/4 cup fresh herbs chopped, I used a combo of basil, dill and parsley
• 4 oz feta cheese

For the Vinaigrette

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 baby, seedless cucumbers diced, may use any cucumber type you prefer
• 2 ears fresh corn kernels cut from cob

Instructions

 

• Over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in pan. Saute onions until translucent.
  
• Stir in farro and toast for 1-2 minutes.
  
• Add broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and cover pan with a lid.
  
• Allow farro to simmer for 20-30 minutes until liquid has absorbed and the farro is tender. Drain any extra liquid that remains and allow to cool to room temperature.
  
• While farro cools make the vinaigrette by whisking together 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the dijon mustard and red wine vinegar.
• In a large bowl, lightly toss together the cooled and drained farro, vegetables, herbs, feta cheese, and vinaigrette.
  
• Serve immediately or let marinate further in fridge until meal time.
  

Notes

An alternative to the feta cheese is crumbled goat cheese. 

You will want to drain any remaining liquid from the farro to avoid the salad being soggy. 

Make the salad ahead of time for a party, last several days in the fridge if in an airtight container. I suggest making double the vinaigrette just in case the coolness of the fridge dries out the salad. The farro may absorb some of the vinaigrette as it marinates in the fridge. 

This recipe is versatile- get creative and add your favorite herbs, vegetables and cheeses to make it your own!