This Mediterranean Farro Salad recipe is a healthy 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!
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A Healthy & Delicious Farro Salad Recipe
Mediterranean flavors are a favorite of mine, especially artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and kalamata olives.
When it was time to create a farro recipe, I knew those 3 ingredients would be used.
The result is a delicious and healthy salad recipe with a ton of flavor!
Farro nutrition
Farro is an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients (like iron, magnesium, zinc and a few B vitamins). It does contain gluten, but has lower amounts than today's wheat.
My favorite way to serve this farro salad is with a nice crispy skinned salmon filet, but it also makes for a fantastic vegan salad or vegetarian salad recipes.
What is farro
Farro is a healthy ancient wheat grain that's sold in a dried form and cooked in liquid until soft.
It has a wonderful hearty, nutty flavor and can also be used in soups and salads.
It can also be substituted for bulgar or rice in a variety of other recipes.
This grain typically takes some time to cook, but I use Trader Joe's 10 Minute Farro, so this dish can be on the table in only 20 minutes!
How to make quick cooking farro
Farro typically takes 30-45 minute to cook, but with a little advance planning and time to soak the grains, you can turn it into the quick cooking version.
Here's how to cook regular farro in 10 minutes:
- Put the dried 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 chicken post was only my second recipe on TEA, so please forgive my photography skills. #YIKES!
Give this Mediterranean Farro Salad a try next time you want a flavorful and easy side dish. Please tell me in the comments below how you liked it too!
Mediterranean Farro Salad Recipe With Champagne Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 ½ 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
- ¾ teaspoon kosher sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- ¼ cup high quality olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic chives (optional) , minced (can substitute 1 teaspoon or 1 clove finely minced fresh garlic)
- 1 cup artichoke hearts , quartered (I use Trader Joe's Charred artichoke hearts. Can use artichokes packed in water or oil.)
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes , julienne (I use the ones packed in oil)
- ½ cup kalamata olives , halved
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat leafed parsley , minced
Instructions
- Prepare farro per package directions. While farro is cooking, prepare the dressing.
- 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 or fresh garlic (optional).
- Place the cooked 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 the parsley over the salad and serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate until needed.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- If using both oil packed artichokes and tomatoes, may want to slightly reduce the amount of oil in the vinaigrette.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 5 days.
Diane C.
This is amazing!! I made it for Thanksgiving, doubled the recipe, and had none leftover, so I made more over the weekend. And now that's gone. My only suggestion is to use less oil in the dressing if using artichokes jarred in oil and sun-dried tomatoes in oil.
Karrie
Thank you so much Diane and glad you all love it as much as I do! Don't know if you like pan seared salmon, but it's fantastic with this salad. It's my favorite side with salmon. Also, great idea on using less oil and I'll add that to the recipe!
Lalaine
Now who says healthy cannot be delicious! My boyfriend and I tried and it we loved it! What's best is it was so easy to prepare. Perfect for us busy bees!
Karrie
Thank you Lelaine and love that you two loved it!! It's one of my favorites to make because it's so easy. Really appreciate you taking the time to comment too!
Lynn
I love this farro salad! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Karrie
Thanks so much Lynn and very happy you like the recipe!
Sarah
Served this salad at a holiday cookout and it went in a flash! Everyone raved about it! Thanks for the recipe.
Karrie
You are welcome Sarah and so glad everyone liked it so much!
Milena | Craft Beering
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!
Susana Parker
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
Thank you Susana!
Diana Lopes
I've always wanted to make my own farro salad, but I never knew how. Thank you for sharing the details!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
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!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I wouldn't mind being on that island with you for a dish like this one...it sounds really good.
The-FoodTrotter
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
Ben|Havocinthekitchen
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:)
Thao @ In Good Flavor
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!
Nicoletta
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.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
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
heather (delicious not gorgeous)
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 (: