Farro Salad Mediterranean (Printable Version)

Nutty farro with fresh vegetables, briny olives, and creamy feta in a zesty lemon-oregano dressing.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables & Herbs

04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
06 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)

→ Olives & Cheese

09 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
10 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 garlic clove, minced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Rinse the farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until farro is tender but still chewy. Drain any excess water and let cool.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled farro, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, mint (if using), olives, and feta cheese.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Chill for at least 15 minutes before serving for best flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes better the next day as the farro absorbs all that lemony, garlicky goodness without getting mushy.
  • You can throw it together in under 45 minutes and it's naturally vegetarian without feeling like you're missing anything.
  • It's genuinely flexible enough to customize based on whatever fresh vegetables are calling to you at the farmers market.
02 -
  • Overcooked farro turns into mush in a salad, so set a timer and actually check it at 20 minutes rather than just assuming it needs the full 25—every burner is different.
  • Don't dress this salad and immediately serve it thinking it'll taste fresh; the magic happens in the waiting when the farro absorbs all that flavor and the ingredients get to know each other.
03 -
  • Taste and adjust your dressing while the farro is still slightly warm; it'll help you gauge seasoning better than tasting cold salad.
  • If your feta is particularly salty, rinse it under cold water for a few seconds before crumbling to balance the overall saltiness of the dish.
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