Description
A quick, healthy, and customizable Mediterranean farro salad featuring crisp cucumber, salty feta, and a bright lemon-oregano vinaigrette. Perfect for busy weeknights and meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dry pearled farro (200g)
- 2½ cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 large English cucumber, diced (about 300g)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced (about 50g)
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved (75g)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (150g)
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled (150g)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt (kosher)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: ½ cup fresh parsley or mint, chopped
- Optional: 1 can chickpeas, drained (400g)
- Optional: 2 cups grilled chicken or shrimp
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup of farro under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer.
- In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed farro, 2½ cups water or broth, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (pearled) or 30-40 minutes (semi-pearled) until tender but chewy. Drain any excess liquid.
- Spread the cooked farro on a large baking sheet or plate to cool completely (about 10 minutes).
- While farro cools, dice the cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion into ½-inch cubes. Pit and halve the olives.
- In a small jar with a lid, combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper. Screw lid on tight and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until emulsified.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled farro, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, and feta.
- Pour vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat evenly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, lemon, or oregano if needed.
- Serve immediately at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 4 hours to let flavors meld.
Notes
Cool the farro completely before assembling to prevent wilting the vegetables and melting the feta. For best texture, toast the farro in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding water. Store dressing separately if meal prepping to keep veggies crisp. Do not freeze as cucumbers and tomatoes will become watery.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 8
Keywords: Mediterranean farro salad, cucumber salad, healthy dinner, meal prep, quick weeknight dinner, grain bowl, vegetarian, gluten-free option