Mediterranean Farro Salad is a delicious side dish or vegan entrée using artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives in a homemade champagne vinaigrette. Easy to make and ready to eat in 30 minutes!
If I were ever stranded on an island and could take 3 food items with me, it would probably be artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Provided the island had an endless supply of NY strip steaks, potato chips, and dark chocolate. And some red wine…and champagne.
Healthy & Delicious Farro Salad
Basically, I love anything and everything that has these 3 ingredients in it so, when I wanted to create a farro recipe, I knew I was going to add my all-time favorite Mediterranean flavor combo.
Even though I’m a bit of a low carb kick right now, I could eat this farro salad every day for lunch or dinner. My favorite way to serve it is with a nice crispy skinned salmon filet, but it also makes for a fantastic vegan salad recipe or vegetarian salad recipe.
how to make a farro salad
Farro is a healthy ancient wheat grain that’s sold in a dried form and cooked in liquid until soft. It has a hearty, nutty flavor and can be used in soups and salads or substituted for bulgar or rice in a variety of other recipes.
Farro typically takes up to 30 minutes to cook, but I use Trader Joe’s 10 Minute Farro
If you don’t have the quick cooking farro, no worries! Just put the regular farro in a large bowl, cover it with water, and soak in the refrigerator overnight. When it’s ready to cook, drain the farro, then add it to a pan with 3 cups of water and boil for 10 minutes. When it’s finished, drain any additional water and the farro is ready to use!
If you like this salad, then check out my Healthy Mediterranean Chicken (slightly adapted from a Tyler Florence recipe). P.S. I think that post was only my second recipe on TEA, so please forgive my photography skills. #YIKES!
Give this Mediterranean Farro Salad recipe a try next time you want a flavorful and easy side dish.
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked farro grains (I use Trader Joe's 10 Minute Farro)
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon shallots , finely minced
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1/4 cup high quality olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic chives (optional) , minced
- 1 cup artichoke hearts , quartered (I use Trader Joe's Charred artichoke hearts)
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes , julienne
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives , halved
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat leafed parsley , minced
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Prepare farro per package directions. While farro is cooking, prepare the dressing.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk while slowly adding the olive oil until the vinaigrette is well combined. Stir in the garlic chives (optional).
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Place the farro in a large bowl, add the artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, and olives. Pour the champagne vinaigrette over the farro mixture and stir well. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate until needed.
this sounds so flavorful! i eat olives straight from the jar and put them in everything (seriously though). plus artichokes and sundried tomatoes make everything better! i can imagine how happy i’d be if i made a batch of this for my weekday lunches (:
Haha! Yep! Those ingredients would be a necessity, especially the wine. Wine is practically a health food so it can’t be all that bad, right ?? Girl, this salad is calling my name! I absolutely love the flavours going on here and this would be what I would make on Sunday for me and hubby to eat throughout the week. Trying to mix lunches up lately and this is the answer. Can’t wait to give it a try! And farro is my new fave grain…love on hearty it is! Pinned, shared and making! Have a wicked weekend, sweets! XOXO
I love this salad, Karrie! Farro is my favorite and paired with those 3 beautiful Mediterranean ingredients it just is amazing. One of the colorful and flavorful lunches that I like to have at hone or to bring to work.
Does your island also come with a daily massage? You are too funny, Karrie!! I love this farro salad!! It is simple and easy but packed with great flavor. I could literally eat this for lunch all week (and YES please on the salmon)! By the way, if you’re allowed visitors on this island, I will gladly come with a “housewarming” gift of all you can eat lobsters!
I do like farro. It’s such a delicious yet a bit underrated grain, and it’s also very versatile. Also, I do love sun-dried tomatoes and olives so this is pretty my kind of salad. Now, pass me a huge spoon please, Karrie:)
It looks absolutely! I love Mediterranean food, from Spain to Lebanon and from Italy to Morocco! I’ve never heard of farro though, so it could be pretty cool to try
I wouldn’t mind being on that island with you for a dish like this one…it sounds really good.
I would need all these things on a dessert island. Especially the wine and potato chips! And this salad! I’m 100% with you on all things Mediterranean!
I’ve always wanted to make my own farro salad, but I never knew how. Thank you for sharing the details!
Hello, Karrie.
I can’t believe how easy it is to make this salad. I know my friends will love this too. She’s vegan and I am definitely introducing your blog to her.
Karrie, when you find that island with abundant NY strip on it I will join you, tend a fire all day long and make sure we always have good coals come dinner time. I’m gonna have to bring beer though. Faro is pretty good in salads – I love its nuttiness and a huge yes on the kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. You know about how I always have a lot of feta in the brine wherever I go, right? I will bring it to the island. To use with this salad and others we’ll make!