Today’s Italian Farro Salad is here to prepare us for one of the most important seasons of the year: POTLUCK SEASON. Easy to prep in advance, packed with colorful veggies and creamy feta, and topped with a light, zippy vinaigrette, this farro salad is just screaming to be brought to your next get-together.
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Why You’ll Love This Farro Salad Recipe
- The Perfect Potluck Salad. This farro salad is the kind of recipe that was tailor made for gatherings with friends because it can be prepped ahead and it tastes great at room temperature. It also yields enough for a crowd!
- Satisfying Main and Versatile Side. This fresh and flavorful farro recipe pairs well with just about any protein (Lemon Butter Chicken! Grilled Pork Chops!), but you can also make it into a main dish since farro is one of the most satisfying whole grains.
- Excellent for Meal Prep. I also love that this farro recipe will last in the refrigerator for several days, making it a fantastic candidate for meal prep lunches and dinners.
- It Uses Fabulous Farro. If you’ve never prepared or eaten farro, you are in for a delight. Farro is a type of ancient wheat that’s popular in Italian cuisine. Farro recipes can range from casseroles, risottos (like this Farro Risotto with Tomatoes and Parmesan) and pilafs to soups, stews and satisfying salads like today’s recipe. (Want more information on how to cook farro? Check out my guide on How to Cook Farro.)
5 Star Review
“This is the first time I used farro and I love it. Your salad was great with lots of flavor. And it looks so colorful too. Can’t wait to have leftovers tomorrow.”
— Coleen —
How to Make Farro Salad
The Ingredients
- Farro. Tender, chewy, and nutty. Farro is a versatile, fiber-rich ancient grain loaded with plant-based protein.
- Feta Cheese. Adds a bit of creaminess and saltiness to the salad.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes. I love the bold, concentrated flavor sun-dried tomatoes give this farro salad. I like to use dried packaged sun-dried tomatoes instead of oil-packed, as I find the salad has enough oil with the dressing.
- Cucumbers. Lends a bit of crunch to the dish that contrasts the chewy, tender farro.
- Cherry Tomatoes. Easy to find and taste great year round.
- Peas. I use frozen since they’re a staple in my house. You can swap for fresh if you like, but I find frozen to be just as tasty and so much more convenient.
- Parsley. Feel free to swap the parsley for fresh basil, mint, or oregano, or create your own herby blend with a little bit of each.
- Olive Oil. I like to use a good quality olive oil with robust flavor that enhances the overall taste of the dressing.
- Red Wine Vinegar. Provides vital acidity to the dish.
- Honey. Adds just the right amount of sweetness to the salad.
- Dijon Mustard. Gives this farro salad a very subtle zip.
The Directions
- Cook the Farro. Follow the package instructions, then transfer it to a large bowl.
- Make the Dressing. Prepare the dressing and pour half over the warm farro.
- Combine. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl (except for the feta). Toss to combine.
- Finish. Sprinkle with feta, lightly toss again, add some additional dressing if you feel so inclined, then season your Italian farro salad with salt and pepper. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Farro Salad
- Grilled Proteins. I love this Italian farro salad as a side for grilled foods. Top it with Grilled Chicken Breast or serve it alongside Grilled Salmon.
- Burgers and Sandwiches. Italian Turkey Burgers would be perfection with this farro recipe.
- Roasted Vegetables. For a vegetarian meal, serve this salad alongside Oven Roasted Vegetables.
- Seafood. Add a generous scoop of Italian Tuna Salad on top or make this farro a side for Baked Salmon.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Rinse the Farro. Yes, you do need to rinse farro prior to cooking it. It’s usually covered with a dry, powdery coating that should be rinsed away. Rinsing also removes some outside starch, so that once the farro is cooked the grains separate from each other in the farro salad, versus clumping.
- Dress the Farro Warm. Pouring the dressing over the farro while it is still warm helps the farro drink it up, giving your salad an even fuller flavor.
- Freshen Up Your Leftovers. If you won’t be eating all of this Italian farro salad right away, I recommend reserving some of the dressing to moisten and revive the leftovers. If you do use all of it, you can also brighten up the leftovers with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Tip!
For my FAVORITE farro recipes, pick up a copy of The Well Plated Cookbook, which uses it for one-pan meals, salads, and more!
Italian Farro Salad
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Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 cup uncooked farro
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup dry packaged sundried tomatoes not oil packed, cut into julienne slices, rehydrated if dry*
- 1 large cucumber seeded and finely diced
- ¾ cup jarred roasted red peppers drained and finely diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup frozen petite peas thawed
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
For the Italian Vinaigrette Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse and drain farro, then cook according to package instructions. Transfer to a large mixing or serving bowl.
- While the farro cooks, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper until evenly blended. Pour half of the dressing over the warm farro and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl except for the feta: sundried tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red pepper, cherry tomatoes, peas, and parsley. Toss to coat. Taste and add as much of the remaining dressing as you like. Sprinkle with feta, lightly toss again, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- *I liked to use dried packaged sundried tomatoes instead of oil packed, as I find the salad has enough oil with the dressing. If you prefer sundried tomatoes in olive oil, you can swap them here. To rehydrate (you may or may not need to do this; if the sundried tomatoes seem moist and plump, you can skip this step): Place in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let rest a few minutes, then drain and use as directed.
- TO STORE: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you won’t be eating all the salad right away, I recommend reserving some of the dressing to moisten and revive the leftovers. If you do use all of it, you can also brighten the leftovers up with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- TO MAKE IT VEGAN: Omit the feta cheese; replace the honey in the dressing with light agave or simple syrup.
- TO MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Replace the farro (which is not gluten free) with a different grain such as quinoa or brown rice.
- Nutritional information was calculated with three-quarters of the dressing. (I found I didn’t need it all, so feel free to adjust to your liking.)
Nutrition
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Can’t get enough farro? Here are more of my go-to healthy farro recipes:
This looks amazing…only question I have is what can I substitute for the Feta?…not a fan of that ?
Hi Pennie, you could try queso fresco (a crumbly Mexican cheese that’s more mild than feta) or cubed mozzarella! I hope you enjoy the salad.
Erin, Thanks for introducing me to farro! I can’t believe I made a fabulous dish with a food I’ve never eaten before! I used garbonzo beans instead of peas and served it as a side dish to a fish recipe I got from you in the past. Your recipes are amazing and always easy enough to make me think I can actually cook!
Alan, this comment means so much, and I’m so happy that you tried and love farro! And it sounds like you are a great cook to me :-)
Made this last night and then discovered I didn’t have any peas. Added them today and stirred everything together again with a little reserved dressing. aMAZING! It’s easy to make, the taste and texture are great, and I really appreciate the abundance of veggies in this dish. It’s a keeper for sure, especially for my lunch time rotation.
Wanda, YAY!! I’m so pleased to hear that this is a keeper recipe for you. Thank you so much for trying it and taking time to leave this wonderful review. It means so much!
Hi Erin, this is the first time I used farro and I love it. Your salad was great with lots of flavor. And it looks so colorful too. Can’t wait to have leftovers tomorrow.
Hi Coleen! Thank you so much for the positive feedback! I am thrilled you tried something new and enjoyed it :) Savor those leftovers!! Yum!
I made this salad about 2 months ago for a church potluck. It’s so similar to a Mediterranean orzo salad I usually being, that gets demolished I figured people love this one too. Boy was I wrong, I had a ton left over. I’m thinking that people had no clue what farro was, so they didn’t eat any. Their mistake!! The only problem we had with this salad was that it was a little too dry the next day. However, a quick splash of more dressing solved that issue!! Great salad Erin!! I’ll make it again soon.
Juli, the WHOLE WORLD needs to know about farro (I agree, it is so good!) Regardless, I’m glad that you enjoyed it, and that the extra dressing made the leftovers just right. Thanks for trying something new!
My kids were all about the leftovers!! This salad is that good!! I agree about the whole needing to know about farro. It’s somme great stuff! If you’re not gluten free. I’m gonna try this salad with quinoa for my GF friends!
I am obsessed with this salad. I made it a second time and threw in goat cheese to try something different. Delightful!!
YAY, Holli! This makes me so happy to hear, and goat cheese sounds AMAZING!
This salad was a 3.5/5 stars until I added about 1/3 cup of red onion. Now it’s 5/5! Delicious and got rave reviews from co-workers! Colorful, nutritious, tasty, refreshing, easy, quick. What more could you want? This was my first time making this salad and I would definitely make it again and again – with the onion, of course! Recipe is a keeper!
Michelle, I am so glad you enjoyed it and were able to adjust it to be just right for your tastes too!
made this yesterday, didnt have any RRP, so we used some olives instead and added arugula. Served along with grilled steak and hummus. SO yummy, thx for the recipe, its a keeper :)
Steph, I am so so happy to hear how much you all enjoyed it, thank you!!
This is absolutely delicious! I forgot to pick up peas, but I didn’t miss them. The dressing is wonderful and the vibrant colors and freshness of this dish make me so happy!
Thank you for the excellent recipe.
Connie, I’m glad to hear the recipe was a winner! Thank you for taking the time to leave this awesome review!
Made this last night after trying to come up with a new way to use my favourite grain – FARRO! I didn’t change a thing other then triple the recipe for my hungry hubby, and used this as a meal prep meal!
I didn’t have any roasted peppers prepared, so I made my own by broiling 3 red/orange/yellow in the oven.
Loved the sun dried tomato addition as well, it really gave the salad a boost.
A DEFINITE 5* review!!
Eryn, I’m so glad to hear this salad is a hit. Thanks for taking the time to share this review!
I often make this for my daughter’s school lunch and she adores it. Really great recipe – simple but so very tasty.
I’m glad it’s a hit, Clare! Thanks for taking the time to share this review.
This salad is awesome….left out the peas, substituted red kidney beans and also added avocado…perfect lunch!! Thanks for sharing. :)
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Sydney! I’m so happy you enjoyed this dish!
So simple and good! I love how colorful and refreshing it is. This will be a staple in my meal prep going forward! Thank you for so many great recipes.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Liz! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I have made this salad at least a dozen times. This dish is perfect as is, but I have also added chick peas before, or sometimes kale, or some red onion… I have never served it without someone asking me foe the recipe. I absolutely love this salad. Well done Erin!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Jill! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
My husband loved this! I had to make a couple substitutions based on our preferences, such as garbanzo beans for the peas and parmesan for the feta, and they all worked great because of the recipe’s versatility.
Thanks so much.
Hi Jocelyn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Erin you introduced me to farro with your cookbook and I love it! This is yet another fantastic recipe – so fresh and healthy and so easy to throw together! My husband and I will be eating this all week! Thank you for all your hard work!!! And keep it up!! 😋😋😋
Hi Jen! So glad to hear and thank you for your support with my cookbook! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was absolutely delicious! Will make again! I partially thawed the peas and added to the warm farro. No harm and time saver. Did not have the roasted red pepper and it was still delicious! Tasted it before adding feta to see if it would be good without the cheese and I loved it! Family loved it. We served it with grilled salmon and light greens!
Hi Karen! So glad you enjoyed the salad! Thank you for this kind review!
We’ve made this recipe repeatedly – for our family of 5 and to share with larger groups. I love the bite of the farro (almost reminds me of barley) and the crunch of the veggies along with the zing of the feta and dressing. Really a great side that I make on the weekend that stretches into the week for both my lunch and kids’ lunches. This is a “keeper” recipe that I’ve come back to again and again this summer. <3
Hi Rachel! So glad you enjoyed the salad! Thank you for this kind review!
Excellent recipe, this will become a staple in my house.
Hi Jackie! So glad you enjoyed the salad! Thank you for this kind review!
This is so delicious. Like another person suggested, I also added diced red onion and it took it up a few notches for sure. Thanks for this wonderful recipe. We’ll be making this often.
Hi Jo! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This farro salad was absolutely delicious! Packed with flavor, it’s perfect to prep ahead or serve for a crowd. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Hi Catherine! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I really enjoyed this! I tossed the frozen peas in with the Farro when it was done cooking and then drained everything and let it cool. I really liked the dressing and the feta put it over the top. I can see myself making this often this summer.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Muchelle! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I added some chives and scallions. It was great!
Sounds tasty Mac! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
We loved it and it is a healthy lunch for workdays!
Hi Marcelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I love this! Healthy and delicious! I used a fresh pepper rather than the jarred roasted ones because that’s what I had on hand.
Hi Andrea! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was delicious! I did not use the fresh parsley and roasted my own pepper. I couldn’t taste the pepper, so next time I’ll save some time and just add it raw. I also added green onion. I think it would be great with garbonzo beans. I ate it with grilled chicken. I wish I had doubled the salad…next time!!
Hi Kim! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I used Trader Joe’s Instant Farro, and the package was just over a cup before cooking, so it worked very well for this recipe.
Hi Susan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Lovely Recipe
166kcal? Per serving? Is that 166,000 calories?
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Rob. Kcal is the chemistry way to speak of energy. In nutrition we just say calorie but the terms are interchangeable. This is 166 calories per serving. Hope this helps!
This was very tasty and great for a hot summer day! I made a few changes based on what was in my refrigerator..zucchini instead of cucumber, added some leftover grilled sweet corn cut of the cob, and rinsed the excess oil off my oil packed sun dried tomatoes. I found this recipe while searching for ways to use some gifted farro, which I had never tried before. It’s a keeper!
Glad it worked out, thank you Marilyn!
Made it for the first time and my husband loved it immediately. It reminds us of being back in Italy! We just love the perfect texture of Farro. The flavors are simple and mild but work well together.
So happy to hear, Beatriz! Thank you!
This salad is delicious. It was 100 degrees here today and perfect for a cold salad. I love that it makes a lot and will last a few days for lunches as it’s just my husband and I. Thank you for sharing
Thank you Vicky!
I made it last night, and the blend of textures and flavors was just perfect. The farro was tender but still had a delightful bite, and the fresh herbs brought such a vibrant taste to every bite. The italian vinaigrette dressing tied everything together beautifully. Thank you for the recipe!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the salad, Bianca! Thank you!
I saw this recipe and immediately wanted to try it. The farro had a wonderful chewiness that complemented the crisp vegetables perfectly. The combination of cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, feta and peas was incredibly refreshing. Dressing had just the right balance of acidity and richness, making the whole salad pop with flavor. I’ll be making this again very soon!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Kassandra!