Hearty farro, fresh veggies, and peppery arugula are the stars of this Mediterranean farro salad. The bright and tangy vinaigrette is my favorite part!
During the fall season, I LOVE farro salads. Something about the cooler temperatures makes me reach for hearty and filling meals — like this Mediterranean farro salad. I’m obsessed with the chewy texture and nutty flavor of this ancient grain, and I love how it’s satisfying enough to be a full lunch. Trust me… the flavors are epic!
Love farro + salads? This farro salad with lemon vinaigrette is on repeat around here.
How To Make A Mediterranean Farro Salad
If you know me, you know that I try to make and eat a salad daily. This Mediterranean farro salad is a full-on meal that only takes 20 minutes to throw together… that’s a win in my book!
- Prepare the veggies: Combine the diced red onion and lemon juice and set aside. Chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, and roasted red pepper. Drain the lemon juice from the onions.
- Mix up the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, whisk or shake together all the vinaigrette ingredients.
- Toss everything together: Mix all the salad ingredients and vinaigrette together in a large bowl. Season to taste.
Hot tip: If you don’t have much experience cooking farro, use this guide to make perfectly fluffy, chewy farro.
Tips From the Kitchen
I test all my recipes many times and note down any takeaways. Although this farro salad recipe is crazy simple, I’ve learned a few techniques along the way that really take it to the next level.
- Soak the onions in lemon juice. This is a little hack I learned to make the “sharp” onion flavor more mild. Just 10-20 minutes makes a big difference!
- Choose between fresh or roasted bell peppers. Although you can absolutely use a fresh bell pepper, I’m obsessed with the roasted flavor. Place the pepper on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast it at 450ºF for 30-40 minutes.
- Use up whatever veggies you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to deviate from the recipe (I do it all the time). Roasted carrots or air fryer sweet potatoes would be AMAZING here.
- Switch out the grain. For a gluten-free option, use quinoa. If you want to switch up the texture, opt for brown rice or barley.
- Get herb-y. I pretty much always have some type of fresh herbs in my kitchen. Parsley, oregano, dill, and mint are my favorites here.
- Allow the salad to sit for 30 minutes. This is totally optional, but I love how the flavors meld together when I refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes before serving. Keep the arugula separate until the last minute to keep it fresh and crisp.
- Add protein. To make this salad into a full meal, serve it with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp.
Make Ahead & Storage
To make this farro salad ahead of time, cook the farro, make the dressing, and prep the veggies the day before. Store everything separately in airtight containers in the fridge, then toss it all together when you’re ready to serve.
More Hearty Salads
- Cobb Salad — Chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs… oh my!
- Quinoa Kale and Avocado Salad — Packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats
- Olivier Potato Salad — A super creamy and tangy Slavic staple
- Israeli Couscous Salad — Couscous, chickpeas, fresh veggies, and herbs
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup farro cooked and cooled
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ medium red onion finely diced
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 3 mini cucumbers diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 medium red pepper roasted and diced
- 6 oz feta cubed or crumbled
- 5 oz baby arugula
Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ lemon juiced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped or grated
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the diced red onion in a small bowl. Pour the lemon juice over it, give it a stir, and set it aside for 10-20 minutes.
- Slice the tomatoes, dice the cucumbers, and chop the roasted red pepper. Drain the lemon juice from the onions.
- Whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl, or shake them together in a jar.
- Add the cooked farro, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted red peppers, feta, and arugula to a large bowl.
- Pour the vinaigrette over everything and toss to combine. If needed, season with more salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
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