One of my favorite types of recipes to create are ones that are nutritious, also tasty. (Yes, it’s possible.) This farro salad is precisely that — totally delicious AND nourishing! It might seem like there’s a lot going on here, but this salad can go from zero to in your face in under 30 minutes.

Did I mention that I love salads with a lot going on? The chewiness of the farro and pepitas mixed with the hearty kale, sweet tomatoes and corn, salty feta, and a tangy cilantro lime dressing. This salad is everything.

What is Farro Salad?

Let’s start with farro — a type of wheat that is cultivated in the Mediterranean. It has a nutty, chewy bit similar to barley and is chock full of nutrients! I love adding it to salads to make them heartier and more filling.

This particular salad has kale, feta, a few vegetables, and tossed in an easy cilantro-lime dressing.

You can find farro in most grocery stores and if your grocery store has a big bulk section, chances are it’s there, too. And you can also find farro online.

Best Farro Salad ingredients

• Farro – a Mediterranean strain of wheat found in most grocery stores. If you can’t find farro, you can swap it out for barley, wild rice, or quinoa to get that chewy texture.
• Kale – Curly kale or lacinato (dino) kale both work here. You can use pre-chopped kale if you don’t mind bits of stems in your salad. If you want something lighter in flavor, use baby spinach or shredded Napa cabbage.
• Pumpkin seeds or pepitas
• Roasted red peppers – jarred is fine!
• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta cheese
• Fresh cilantro
• Limes
• Rice vinegar
• Salt, pepper, & a neutral tasting oil like avocado oil

How to Cook Farro for Salad

Farro cooks up similar to barley or rice. The ratio is 1 cup of farro to 3 cups of water. It simmers for about 15-20 minutes and then I strain off the remaining water.

How to make Farro Salad with Feta

1. Start cooking the farro. By the time you prep the rest of the ingredients it’ll be finished!
2. Roast the corn under the broiler for about 8 minutes.
3. Strip the kale off the stems and slice it into thin strips. Rub it with a little lime juice and oil.
4. Buzz up the dressing ingredients and set aside.
5. When the farro is finished, add it to the bowl with the kale. Add the (cooled) roasted corn, chopped roasted red peppers and cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, and feta.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
7. Serve!

Best Ever Farro Salad recipe tips

• Cook the farro well. Make sure it’s cooked all the way through so you don’t end up with tough bits in your salad.
• Run some cold water over the cooked farro to help it cool faster before you add it to the salad. Make sure it’s drained well, too.
• Rub the kale with lime and oil. This mellows out a lot of the bitterness in the greens. Don’t skip this step!
• This salad can be prepped ahead of time. It’s great at room temperature or even cold out of the fridge. And because the kale is a sturdy green it won’t get slimy after you dress it.

How to store this Farro Salad Recipe

If you have leftovers or are making this salad a day ahead of time, store it in a lidded container, chilled for up to 5 days. After you pull it out of the fridge, you may need to add a little salt or lime juice to freshen it up.

Farro Feta Salad FAQs

More Vegetarian Salad Recipes on Perry’s Plate

Spring Mix Salad Recipe with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta

Roasted Carrot and Chickpea Salad

Wild Rice Salad with Cucumber and Pesto

Syrian Salad with Za’atar Vinaigrette

If you make one of my recipes, be sure to post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Continue to Content

Farro Salad with Feta

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

One of my favorite types of recipes to create are ones that are nutritious, also tasty. (Yes, it's possible.) It might seem like there's a lot going on here, but this farro salad can go from zero to in your face in under 30 minutes.

Print

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 cup uncooked farro grains
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 small bunch kale, any type
• 3 limes
• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 cup chopped roasted red peppers
• 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup pepitas
• 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the dressing:

• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup avocado oil

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan add the farro grains and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until the grains are tender. Strain and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to high broil. Spread the corn kernels out on a small baking sheet drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of oil. Broil for about 8 minutes or until the corn is golden brown in spots. If you have fresh corn you may not need to broil it this long.
3. Remove the kale from their stems by pinching the bottom of the stem and running your pinched fingers up the stalk. Discard the stems and slice the leaves into narrow strips. Put the sliced kale into a large salad bowl. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of oil and squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lime over the kale. Use your hands to massage the oil and lime juice into the kale for a minute or two. The kale should be more tender and darker green. Don't skip this step!
4. Prep the roasted red peppers and tomatoes and add them to the bowl with the kale. Along with the pepitas and feta cheese.
5. When the farro is finished, add the drained farro grains to the bowl as well.
6. Place all the dressing ingredients into a blender along with the juice from the rest of the limes (you should have about 1/4 cup) and blend thoroughly. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of the salt over the salad and mix again. Taste, and add a little more salt if you think it needs it.
7. Serve!

Notes

1. This salad is great freshly made! You can also store it chilled and eat it right out of the fridge. For best flavor eat it within about 5 days.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Roland Foods Pearled Italian Farro, Specialty Imported Food, 47.9-Ounce Bag

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1 cup
Amount Per Serving Calories 330Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 11mgSodium 389mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 6gSugar 11gProtein 10g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.