A quick and easy Greek farro salad recipe for those summer picnics and barbecues. Super flavorful and full of fresh healthy ingredients!
Nothing like a flavorful easy summer picnic recipe! I find myself gravitating more and more to those simple throw together ideas.
Enjoying time with my family is so important, and while fancy recipes are great from time to time, things that can be throw together quickly are my main choice.
Farro Salad
As much as I love me a good pasta salad, sometimes it’s fun to switch it up. I have been using farro more and more these days, so switching it up with an easy summer salad version was a perfect idea!
My favorite thing about farro is the texture. It is perfectly chewy and al dente which we love. Perfect both cold and warm! I also love the almost nutty flavor it has.
Is farro a carb or a protein?
Farro is an ancient wheat grain that is really nutritious. It has both carbs and protein. While not gluten free, it is more digestible than other gluten filled grains. Both my husband and I digest it more easily.
1/4 cup of dry farro has about 6 grams of protein. It has 34 grams of carbs, but 5 of those grams are fiber.
Is farro high in protein?
Farro is definitely higher on the protein spectrum than other grains. With 6 grams per 1/4 cup, it is similar to quinoa but higher than other grains like brown rice.
It’s a great way to get some extra protein into your diet because it goes so well with many recipes.
Is farro healthier than brown rice?
Farro and brown rice are both considered healthy whole grains. The difference lies in some of the extra nutrients farro has.
First, like mentioned before, farro has more protein than other grains. In 1/4 cup it has 6 grams, while brown rice only has about 3.
Farro also has a good amount of fiber, 5 grams per 1/4 cup. Brown rice has between 2 and 3 depending on whether it’s short or long grain. Because of it’s higher fiber, farro can have better benefits for people with heart or digestion issues.
Overall they are both great choices, but farro does have a few more benefits.
Does farro need to be rinsed?
Yes. If you look at farro when you buy it, you’ll see that it is covered with a powder like substance. It should be rinsed off before cooking.
Whole farro also can be soaked to help speed up the cooking time. If you’re cooking pearled or semi pearled farro, you don’t need to do this.
How To Make a Farro Salad Recipe
I love the ease of this farro salad. You can prep all the parts the day before and take about 5 minutes to throw them together right before you need it. Plus it has the vegan feta from my famous Vegan Spanakopita recipe!
- Cook farro
- Chop all the ingredients (you can do this as the farro is cooking)
- Mix them all together
It’s perfect for so many things, from picnics to a poolside lunch to a side for a fun party.
- 1 cup farro , dry (use semi pearled or pearled, see note)
- 1/2 cup peperoncini , chopped (leave out if you don't want any spice)
- 1/2 cup Greek olives , sliced
- 1/2 cup cucumbers , chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh tomatoes , chopped
- ½ cup red onion , chopped
- 1/2 cup vegan Feta , I use my homemade version or you can use store bought
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
- drizzle olive oil , optional or leave out for oil free
- Begin cooking farro in a medium pot according to package directions (will cook for about 25-30 minutes).
As farro is cooking, you can cut all the veggies if you haven't already.
When farro is done cooking, drain and rinse with cold water.
Transfer to a bowl and add all the other ingredients.
Mix well and enjoy!
- If you use whole farro instead of pearled, soak it before cooking to cut down on the cook time.
- You can use dried oregano, but only use 2 teaspoons as it is stronger than fresh.
- If you make the vegan feta, use only the feta filling portion of the linked recipe.
Emilie says
Really delicious. Thank you. I think I’ll bring it to my next pot luck. I think even people who don’t eat healthy would like this.
veggiesdontbite says
So happy you like it!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
I love Greek salads, they are so yummy! Cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, salt and pepper, and fresh oregano are the best salad ingredients. It’s been a while since I’ve seen farro in a recipe, it sounds fantastic now that I’ve seen it!
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks Cassie! We love farro!
The Vegan 8 says
Wow girl, this looks and sounds amazing! I am salivating at the thought of all the rich briney flavors and salty bites of the olives and peperoncini, not to mention the spicy crunch of raw red onion. I love raw red onions so dang much! Awesome recipe!
steviefbillman says
This looks like such a fresh recipe for a perfect summer day. I can’t wait to try it!
M-R says
Farro, eh ? – Tell me, Sophia – would I have much use for it, apart from this ?
veggiesdontbite says
Hi there! We use farro often! We love it instead of pasta or quinoa from time to time. It’s nice to mix it up a bit. I often roast veggies and put them on top of farro, it is also great in soups or on top of salad! The list goes on! My very first recipe on here was farro stuffed in spaghetti squash, check it out but don’t judge the awful pictures I took back then, lol! http://veggiesdontbite.com/2013/11/18/double-baked-spaghetti-squash-bowls/
M-R says
Alas: recipes that require baking for any length of time will go by the board with any age pensioner in NSW: our gas prices are to rise by roughly 33% on July 1 ! I must restrict my cooking to things that use as little gas as possible – is that a ludicrous thought ? :-
veggiesdontbite says
You do what you have to do! But if you make a large batch of farro before then, it stores great in the fridge. You could even try freezing for future use. I like to store the farro plain then add to my meals throughout my week. Great protein too!
M-R says
Then that’s exactly what I shall do. Do you buy it in the grain by bulk, or in packets ?
veggiesdontbite says
I buy it online, but big amounts! You reminded me that I forgot to do the links I usually put in all my recipes, so I just updated with that. I buy mine from Amazon, link to it in the recipe, but I know there are other places you can buy it. Sometimes Costco has it too but I have not been able to find it there lately! Your local store may have it in the bulk bins too but you should ask before you go if it isn’t an easy stop! Let me know how it turns out!
M-R says
Thanks very much for your input !
veggiesdontbite says
You’re welcome! Any time!