Last updated on August 8th, 2024
Are you looking for an easy make-ahead salad that is hearty and wholesome? This Italian farro salad will help you to:
- eat more whole grains
- prepare a whole week’s worth of lunches in advance
- make a great picnic salad
Not spring where you are? Not a problem! This Italian salad can be tailored to whatever season it is, no matter where you are in the world. Do you only have summer ripe tomatoes? Perfect! Are zucchini looking fine at the market? Use them instead!
Learn how to use this Italian farro salad recipe as a template for your cravings and dietary restrictions. Even if you are vegan, you can make this delicious salad by simply leaving out the parmesan cheese.
Check out more Delicious Dinner Recipes That We Make in Italy.
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How To Say Farro Salad In Italian
Farro salad in Italian is insalata di farro, pronounced een-sah-lah-tah dee fahr-roh in Italian.
Listen to the pronunciation of insalata di farro:
What Is Italian Farro Salad?
Italian farro salad is a simple and easy cold salad made from a base of cooked farro, flavored with seasonal vegetables and dressed in a tangy dressing made from olive oil and lemon juice. Large parmesan shavings give this hearty salad a salty bite, making it feel rich and adding a ton of flavor.
Make It Vegan: Italian farro salad can easily be made vegan by omitting the shavings of parmesan cheese.
Spring Italian Farro Salad Ingredients
Farro
Use 1 cup farro or any whole grain that has a chewy texture such as wheat berries or barley.
Asparagus
Use 1 bunch of spring asparagus, cleaned, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces. Alternatively, you can use any seasonal vegetable of your choice, about 1 ½ cups – 2 cups.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider vinegar is said to be great for your gut but it also adds tremendous flavor to farro during the cooking process. Add ⅓ cup to your pot of boiling water.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
What makes this Italian farro salad wonderful is its simplicity. Use the best extra virgin olive oil you can for the dressing.
Choosing An Olive Oil: Need help choosing an olive oil? Read 15 Best Italian Olive Oils – To Enjoy in Italy & Bring Home as a Souvenir and Best Italian Olive Oil Brands in America – Where to Buy Them and How to Store Them.
Other Ingredients For Italian Farro Salad
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup (45 grams) shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups arugula
How To Make Italian Farro Salad
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar and salt well. You can learn how to do this in detail in How To Cook Pasta Like an Italian – Step-by-Step. Add the farro and cook until al dente (cooked but with a slight bite), about 20-25 minutes. Drain well.
While the farro is cooking, make the dressing and cook the asparagus. Whisk the lemon juice with ¼ cup (4 of the 6 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil. Season with pepper.
Clean the asparagus and cut into bite size pieces. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the asparagus and a pinch of salt. Saute until bright green and charred, between 2-5 minutes depending on how thick the asparagus is.
Drain the farro well and immediately dress with the salad dressing. Let cool. Add the asparagus. You can assemble everything up to this point one day in advance.
Right before serving, toss in the arugula and finish with large shavings of parmesan cheese (which can be accomplished with a vegetable peeler). Serve immediately.
Notes and Tips For Making Italian Farro Salad
- When making Italian farro salad, always dress the farro when it’s warm, helping it to soak up the dressing, ultimately creating a more flavorful salad.
- You can use par cooked farro if you like, which should take only 10 minutes or so to cook.
- Cooking farro is similar to cooking pasta in Italy. It shouldn’t be mushy nor should it break your teeth. Read more about how to cook pasta (and thus, farro) in How To Cook Pasta Like an Italian – Step-by-Step.
Italian Farro Salad Substitutions
This Italian salad should really just be used as a formula for creating any kind of vegetable farro salad that reflects the season or what you have on hand. Instead of sauteed asparagus, use any of the following vegetables, or try a combination:
- sauteed zucchini
- fresh spring peas
- chopped cherry tomatoes
- steamed and chopped green beans
- sauteed artichokes
If you can’t get your hands on real Parmigiano Reggiano, use Grana Padano, a similar hard cheese aged for less time.
Instead of this simple olive oil and lemon dressing, feel free to use any simple store bought vinaigrette of your choice. Start with ⅓ cup and add more if need be.
Substitute farro with equal amounts wheat berries or barley, which both have a similar chewy texture and whole grain taste.
For an added bit of freshness, tear in a handful of fresh basil leaves at the end, right before serving. Or mix the salad with pesto.
How To Serve Italian Farro Salad
Italian farro salad is hearty enough to be served as a main dish without anything else but it can also be paired with grilled meats and other foods as a side dish, ideal for picnics and barbecues.
How To Store Italian Farro Salad
Store Italian farro salad in an airtight container for up to four days in the refrigerator.
If you are making this farro salad to eat all week, it’s better to assemble the salad without the arugula and parmesan cheese. Gently toss both in right before serving each time to keep the salad fresh and the arugula from wilting.
Italian farro salad does not freeze well.
If you love Italian salads, try making:
Caprese Salad
Fennel and Orange Salad
Kale Salad with Gorgonzola
Lentil Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Panzanella
Spring Farro Salad
Tuna Salad (Mayo-Free)
Tuscan Bean Salad
Italian Farro Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese (45 g)
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 1/2 cups arugula (rocket)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar and salt well. You can learn how to do this in detail in xx. Add the farro and cook until al dente (cooked but with a slight bite), about 20-25 minutes. Drain well.
- While the farro is cooking, make the dressing and cook the asparagus. Whisk the lemon juice with ¼ cup (4 of the 6 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil. Season with pepper.
- Clean the asparagus and cut into bite size pieces. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the asparagus and a pinch of salt. Saute until bright green and charred, between 2-5 minutes depending on how thick the asparagus is.
- Drain the farro well and immediately dress with the salad dressing. Let cool. Add the asparagus. You can assemble everything up to this point one day in advance. Right before serving, toss in the arugula and finish with large shavings of parmesan cheese (which can be accomplished with a vegetable peeler). Serve immediately.
Notes
- When making Italian farro salad, always dress the farro when it’s warm, helping it to soak up the dressing, ultimately creating a more flavorful salad.
- You can use par cooked farro if you like, which should take only 10 minutes or so to cook.
- Cooking farro is similar to cooking pasta in Italy. It shouldn’t be mushy nor should it break your teeth. Read more about how to cook pasta (and thus, farro) in xx.
