Summer Farro Salad
This farro salad is full of fresh summer ingredients like basil, corn and tomatoes. It’s flavored with mild shallots and a simple vinaigrette. This a great side dish for anything you might be grilling this summer, and it makes a great dish to pass for parties or barbecues. Makes 12 servings.
Why we love this farro salad recipe
It’s already the middle of summer, and I know the harvest season is over in many parts of the country, but up here in Wisconsin we are just starting to see signs of it.
I’m finally seeing the farmer who sells corn at small stands around town, and my basil is surprisingly flourishing right now. It’s time for tomatoes, basil and corn, and I’ve thrown them all together in this beautiful summer farro salad that’s just screaming summer and sun.
If you have more tomatoes to use, try making my chicken pomodoro or roasted tomato pasta sauce. Readers also love my romaine wedge salad (with vegan blue cheese dressing) and my bruschetta pasta.
Searching for more salad recipes? Strawberry poppyseed salad / Tomato salad recipe / Grilled peach salad / Spicy cucumber salad / Shrimp macaroni salad / Mexican street corn salad / BLT pasta salad
What is farro?
If you haven’t tried farro before, you absolutely have to give it a shot. I typically buy Earthly Choice, Village Harvest or Bob’s Red Mill, and prepare them according to the package directions. Just make sure you salt your water.
It’s a grain similar to a wheat berry that’s traditional in Mediterranean cuisine. It has a nutty flavor and a chewy bite to it when it’s cooked. I find them almost identical to wheat berries in the way they’re prepared and their flavor.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Tomatoes – I use grape tomatoes for this recipe, but any tomatoes will technically work. I would recommend something on the smaller side though so you don’t get a ton of seeds.
- Balsalmic vinegar – I like the extra sweetness this adds to the salad, but you can leave it out or use a different type of vinegar. Red or white wine vinegar would work great.
- Shallot – If you don’t have shallots available, you can substitute a sweet onion or yellow onion. It will change the flavor of the recipe, but it will still taste great.
- Fresh herbs – Basil is key here, but I also like to mix in some chives or parsley with the salad for added flavor. Feel free to use what you have but don’t skip the basil.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make summer farro salad
Cook the farro. To make this salad, I cooked my farro as the package suggested. While that was simmering, chopped the rest of the salad ingredients and mixed up the dressing.
Dress the salad. Once the farro was cooked, I drained it and transferred it to a large bowl until it was cooled down a little. Then, I added the remaining ingredients and mixed in the vinaigrette.
Serve immediately. The salad can be served at any temperature, but it’s really, really good when it’s still slightly warm.
Melissa’s pro tips
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked farro
- 1 shallot (finely diced)
- 2 cups corn kernels (cut from the cob)
- 3 cups quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 small bunch fresh basil (chopped (about 1/4 cup))
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook farro according to package directions in salted water. Drain and set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
- When farro has cooled, add it with the remaining salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Add dressing, and stir until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste.
- Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from The Kitchn.
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