Perfect for summer picnics, family celebrations, and as a midflight picnic packed in a carry-on bag, this Summer Farro Salad is the perfect recipe for any occasion (and location).
Just like my Italian Farro Salad with its wholesome, simple, and healthy ingredients, this summer farro salad was what I was craving on Tuesday night, my one evening at home during a multi-week travel spree.
While I absolutely adore traveling and dining out, when I’m gone for long periods, I miss being in my kitchen and eating well-balanced meals like this healthy summer farro salad (and this Southwest Farro Salad).
Therefore, I had to seize a final opportunity to cook before setting off for another adventure.
Luckily, this strawberry farro salad is so simple to make, I was able to throw it together in the midst of packing.
5 Star Review
“With the heat of the summer and Strawberry season in full swing – this was an awesome addition to our family meal plan!”
— Sage —
How to Make Summer Farro Salad
Whether you are looking for a healthy, easy meal, a slam-dunk side for a summer potluck (I also suggest this Italian Pasta Salad or classic Fruit Salad), or bought way too many strawberries at the grocery store this week (been there, done that), this summer farro salad will quickly become your go-to summer salad recipe.
The Ingredients
- Farro. Delightfully nutty and chewy (if you haven’t tried farro, please, please do—it’s wonderful, healthy, and available in just about any grocery store or Amazon). Need more detail on how to best cook farro? Check out my guide on How to Cook Farro.
- Strawberries. Fresh, sweet, and bursting with vitamin C (and the star of this summer Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Avocado Salsa).
- Feta. For creaminess and tang. (I also love feta in this Watermelon Salad that’s also perfect for summer.)
- Avocado. Fill this salad with healthy fats, fiber, folate, and an array of healthy vitamins. (For more summer avocado goodness, try this Avocado Egg Salad.)
- Walnuts. Add warmth and crunch.
- Red Onion. Contributes just the right amount of zippy bite to contrast the sweet strawberries and creamy avocado.
- Spinach. For a final finish of bright green color and an extra serving of veggies.
- Dressing. A simple balsamic vinaigrette made with a touch of honey and poppy seeds. (It’s similar to the one on this Spinach Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing.)
The Directions
- Prepare farro according to package instructions. Set aside to cool.
- Chop and dice the other ingredients
- Whisk together the dressing.
- Pour over the cooled farro and toss to coat.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss gently to combine. ENJOY!
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
- Nesting Mixing Bowls. Ideal for storage.
- Small Whisk. Perfect for the poppy seed dressing.
My only regret: I didn’t pack an extra serving for the flight home!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you do not have farro stored in your pantry and would like to use a different grain, quinoa or wheat berries would be the most direct swaps. Readers have also swapped the farro for cooked bulgur and enjoyed the results.
No. Farro is an ancient grain related to wheat. Therefore it should be avoided by those who have gluten sensitivities.
Generally speaking, farro would typically freeze well. However, I don’t recommend freezing this particular recipe since the texture of the spinach and strawberries would change upon thawing (mushy). IF you’re looking for a freezer-friendly farro recipe, try this Farro Risotto.
Summer Farro Salad
Ingredients
For the Farro Salad:
- 3/4 cup uncooked farro
- 1 pint strawberries hulled and quartered
- 2 medium avocados diced
- 3 cups loosely packed baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 small red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare farro according to package instructions. Place in a serving bowl and let cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until combined: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Pour over the farro, then toss to coat.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the farro: strawberries, avocados, spinach, feta, red onion, and walnuts, then toss gently to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- TO STORE: Strawberry Farro Salad tastes best the day it is made but can last 1 or 2 days in the fridge (the avocado will brown, but be safe to eat).
Nutrition
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Loathe though I am to change recipe ingredients, would this work with bulgar wheat? I have to use up my last hippie chow grain before I’ll buy a new one.
Mary, you could swap bulgar, but because it is so much finer a grain than farro, the final texture of the salad would be pretty different (and it will taste “wheatier” too). I think it just depends what you are going for. Quinoa or wheat berries would be a more direct swap.
I also have a bag of bulgur as my current hipster grain. I used it in this salad and it was still fantastic!! The best salad I have ever eaten (and maybe even the best thing I’ve cooked in my kitchen).
Awesome, Rose! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback and tweaks! Bulgur sounds delicious here.
Made this over the weekend and loved it. Such a great combination. Am making again for a Teacher’s Appreciation Lunch at my daughter’s school later this week.
I’m so excited to hear this Jessica! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and letting me know how it turned out for you.
Erin! This is the first recipe of yours that I’ve made (new reader) and I had to thank you for it! My husband and I went crazy for the flavors and textures in this salad. Absolutely delicious!! Can’t wait for more! :)
Katy, this makes me so happy! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and letting me know how much you and your husband enjoyed it. It’s such helpful feedback for me and for others too!
Is this kinda like a Greek salad?
Hi Suha—although Greek salads do have feta, the other ingredients in this give it a different profile. I think it tastes fresh and summery, and if you try it, I hope you love it!
Just made this salad and it was AWESOME. I like having big salads for lunch to get my greens in. The whole grains and all the goodies in this make it a very filling and nutritious lunch. Thank you for this recipe! <3
HOORAY!!! So excited to hear you liked it Elizabeth. Enjoy, and thanks so much for taking time to leave your review!
I have everything except spinach. Do you think I could chop kale into it instead? Thanks!
Hi Liz! Kale has a much stronger taste and fibrous texture, so it will change the salad. I still recommend spinach overall, but if you’d like to use kale, I would suggest chopping it fairly finely, then “massaging” it by rubbing with with a bit of the salad dressing before adding the other ingredients. This will help break it down and make it more pleasant to chew.
I made this for lunch this week and it’s really yummy! The flavours are better after they’ve had a chance to sit for a little bit.
I did make some substitutions, and will try the recipe as it is written another time when I have all the ingredients, but it was still wonderful with the changes. I used quinoa instead of farro and natural cashews instead of toasted walnuts.
Christa, I am sooooo excited to hear this! This recipe is great with quinoa too. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing this wonderful review!
OK, made it Saturday night for church on Sunday. Had a little nibble. Then a little bowl. Then another. Daughter joined in with a bowl….then a repeat. I had to physically force myself to put this stuff away!!! This will cause a serious addiction problem. And often! What IS it about this salad?! Seriously – it’s incredible. Thank you (I think! LOL)!!
Dee, this is a problem of the most delicious sort! I am SO SO happy to hear that you loved it so much. Thank you!!
Fabulous fabulous fabulous made it to go with a fine steak
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Steak sounds like a great pairing. Thanks so much for reporting back!
Hey Erin,
We’re cooking for about 15 people this weekend. We’re smoking ribs, making your avocado/corn/arugula salad, this Strawberry Farro Salad and of course…. Tots!
Question, how many people does this Strawberry Farro serve as a side dish? I see the recipe says it serves 4, but I wasn’t sure if that was as a main dish. Would we need to double the recipe for 15 people?
Thanks!
Beau
Hi Beau, I think I would double the recipe for that many people. And in case you have any leftovers, it does last in the fridge for a day or two…the avocado browns, but it’s still delicious to eat.
I just made this yesterday, and it is too die for! I followed your recipe to a tee, with exception to adding Dijon in the dressing, only b/c I didn’t have any… I absolutely love this recipe and will share it with my clients!
Anne, thank you for taking the time to leave this great review! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the salad.
I know this is an older recipe but it is such a good one, and one that I look forward to making each year around this time. We had it for dinner last night, and again for lunch today, and even though I’ve made this multiple times throughout the years, I’m always blown away by how flavorful and delicious it is! You definitely need to introduce your newer followers to this gem!
Diana, thank you so much for the kind words about this recipe! I’m so glad to hear it’s a favorite for you. :)
Just wanted to say I have been making this salad for years and its still a favorite. A go to for parties, potlucks etc. Thank you for the great recipe.
I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed the recipe, KT MC! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
With the heat of the summer and Strawberry season in full swing – this was an awesome addition to our family meal plan! Farro has become a new fav grain in our house and it pairs perfectly with season sweet strawberries. I actually used Romaine grown in my garden vs spinach and overall tasted great! The toasted walnuts were also a perfect compliment to the salad. We added a chutney sandwich to make this is a dinner meal for our family which has 3 college kids!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the salad, Sage! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
The salad is delicious. When I make it again, I think I will add half of the dressing to the farro and toss, and keep the other ingredients separate until I’m ready to serve. Add the other ingredients, remaining dressing and toss again.
The flavors are wonderful though. I had everything on hand, on a 1 degree F. day. So, a bit of sunshine on a cold winter’s day.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Patricia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I can’t stop eating this. It’s so good! I made the dressing with a pomegranate balsamic. Even the skeptical bf enjoyed this salad. I will definitely make again.
So glad to hear Renee! Thank you for this kind review!
Every time I make this everyone says it is so delicious. It is my favorite summer salad to make.
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Katie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I made this salad last night, and it was absolutely delicious — to the point of being nearly addictive! LOL! I love farro to begin with, so I was instantly drawn to the recipe when I saw it on Instagram! I appreciate the fact that the ingredients are simple, and that the salad comes together without a lot of work. I can’t wait to make this for my daughter and son-in-law!
Hi Nena! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Love, love, love this salad. We make this very often in our home and adapt to what we have on hand. No spinach, use arugula. Walnut allergy, swap for toasted sliced almonds. We have even swapped goat cheese for the feta. So versatile and delicious every time. We always use white balsamic in dressing due to preference. So good.
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!