Farro Salad with Mint, Tomatoes, and Feta

About This Recipe

Farro, an ancient wheat grain long used in Italian cooking, has a chewy bite and nutty flavor that holds up beautifully in a room-temperature salad. This version keeps it simple: cooked farro tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh mint, and salty feta, all brightened with a lemon and olive oil dressing. The key is cooking the farro properly — like pasta, in plenty of salted boiling water — then cooling it before dressing so it absorbs the vinaigrette without turning mushy. It's a salad built to sit for a few hours, actually improving as the flavors meld.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsfarro(rinsed)
• 400 gcherry tomatoes(halved)
• 150 gfeta(crumbled)
• 0.5 cupfresh mint(chopped)
• 0.25 cupred onion(finely diced)
• 0.33 cupextra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbspfresh lemon juice
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the farro

   Boil farro in generously salted water for 20-25 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain and spread on a tray to cool.

2. 2

   Make the dressing

   Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

3. 3

   Combine the salad

   In a large bowl, toss cooled farro with cherry tomatoes, feta, mint, and red onion.

4. 4

   Dress and toss

   Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine without crushing the feta.

   Toss just before serving if making ahead, so the dressing doesn't wilt the mint.

5. 5

   Rest before serving

   Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes so the flavors meld before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add chickpeas for extra protein and heartiness.

• •

  Swap mint for basil and use mozzarella instead of feta for a more classic Italian flavor combination.

• •

  Include roasted vegetables like zucchini or eggplant for a heartier main-dish salad.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container; the salad keeps well and often tastes better the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions