Now that summer weather is finally here (hello 95 degrees in May!), the last thing I want to do is turn on my oven to heat up the house even more. Therefore, I’ve been making lots of cooler dishes or dishes that can be grilled or made on the stove-top, like this Greek farro salad here. It’s made with fresh ingredients, chewy farro, and tossed with a lighter vinaigrette dressing, making it the perfect meal for a warm summer (or spring) day!
Truthfully, I didn’t exactly know what I was going for when I was making this salad. I knew I had some veggies in the fridge that needed to be used up before they went bad, so I decided to just toss them together with some grains and a dressing and call it a “Greek” grain salad!
I used farro in this recipe because I already had a bag open in my pantry, plus lately I have really been loving the chewy, nutty flavor of this grain. However, if farro isn’t one of the items you keep stocked in your pantry, then no worries – you can easily substitute barley, quinoa, rice, or even pasta to make this recipe. I also made this salad ahead of time and refrigerated it so that it was served cold when I ate it, however it could just as easily be served warm.
After making it, I realized that I completely forgot to add the black olives like I was intending to, so I guess that just means I’m going to have to make it again soon 🙂 But even without the black olives, this recipe was dang good as is.
This recipe is the perfect side dish to serve with dinner or to bring to a cookout/summer party. I actually found that it was pretty filling on its own, and you can even add some grilled chicken to the salad to really make it a meal. The possibilities of this salad are totally endless, so feel free to customize it and make what works best for you!
- SALAD:
- 1 cup dry farro
- 3 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock, or water)
- 2 cups chopped cucumber
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ¾ cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
- ⅓ cup feta cheese
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup black olives, diced
- DRESSING:
- 3 TBSP olive oil
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. dried basil flakes
- 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp. salt and black pepper
- Bring 3 cups of stock (or water) to a boil.*
- Add the farro, stir, reduce the heat to low, and then cover with a lid. Cook for about 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. When done, turn off the heat and set aside.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked farro with the remaining salad ingredients.
- Mix well and then pour the dressing on top. Stir to coat.
