This Mediterranean Farro Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette is easy to make and full of zesty flavor!
The citrus vinaigrette of orange and lemon juice is simple, yet refreshing. Plus, the farro and beans are full of protein and fiber, so it's not only satisfying but filling!
Bring this summery salad to a cookout or have as a side dish to a meal. It's also great for packed lunches since it's eaten cold.
Ingredients
Farro: Cook the farro as instructed on your package in vegetable broth. You'll know the farro is done when all the broth is absorbed and the farro is packed together.
Feta Cheese: I love feta cheese, and it's definitely a Mediterranean staple. I add this near the end when I know the farro has cooled down enough to not melt it.
Green Pepper: You can really use whatever pepper you prefer. I chose green because it's commonly used in Greek cuisine, which is what inspired this dish!
Tomatoes: Slice one pint of cherry tomatoes.
Cucumber: Chop one cucumber. I slice the cucumber into ¼ inch circles. Then stack the slices on top of each other and cut them into quarters.
Onion: I chose to use a red onion because it's commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. Half of a red onion is plenty, and I dice it finely.
Chickpeas: One 15oz can of drained chickpeas is perfect to add protein, fiber and texture!
Citrus Vinaigrette
Oil: ¼ cup olive oil
Apple Cider Vinegar: 2 tablespoons to add tartness to the vinaigrette.
Oranges: 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed juice is the best. Naval oranges work well but you could try other oranges too!
Lemon: 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Honey: 1 teaspoon for sweetness!
Salt to taste
Steps and Instructions
Start by cooking your farro, which takes the longest. As the farro cooks, chop up the veggies and place them into a large mixing bowl.
Once the farro is done cooking, set it to the side to cool to room temperature. Now it's time to work on the citrus vinaigrette!
Whisk the oil, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice and honey together. Salt to taste. I do about 2 pinches of salt.
Pour the citrus vinaigrette over the salad bowl and stir well.
If the farro is cooled to room temp, add it in along with the feta cheese and stir.
Garnish with parsley! Enjoy!
More Mediterranean Recipes
Other Mediterranean inspired recipes here include:
- Mediterrean Bean Salad: This bean salad is packed with protein, fiber and flavor from an Italian vinaigrette!
- Mediterranean Buddha Bowls: easy to prep for lunches during the week for a filling and satisfying meal.
- Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers: one of my favorite dinner recipes on the blog - so good!
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Sure! You could try quinoa, couscous or brown rice. I've never made it with either of those substituion options, but they would most likely go well! If you try one of them, I'd love to hear how it went in the comments!
No, farro isn't gluten-free. If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, swap the farro for quinoa or brown rice.
Mediterranean Farro Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Mediterranean Farro Salad
- 1 cup dry farro (cook according to package's instructions)
- 2 cups vegetable broth (used to cook the farro)
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 cup quartered cucumber
- ¾ cup diced red onion
- 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 15oz drained can of chickpeas
- parsley (optional for garnish)
Citrus Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1-2 pinches salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup farro according to package instructions in broth. Once the farro has absorbed all the broth and is done cooking, set it aside to cool to room temperature.
- Chop green bell pepper, cucumber, red onion and cherry tomatoes.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked farro, chopped veggies, feta cheese and chickpeas.
- Whisk together the olive oil, apple cider, orange juice, lemon juice, honey and salt. Pour the vinaigrette over the mixing bowl and stir well to coat.
- Transfer to a large salad bowl for serving and garnish with parsley if desired!
Notes
- The salad is best served cold.
- Farro isn't gluten-free. If you need a gluten-free alternative, try quinoa or brown rice as a substitute.
- Parsley is optional, but I think it adds great flavor! You can add a few sprigs or a whole bunch to the salad.
Nutrition
(Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)
Mary Lou Craft says
Another good salad this was the first time having farro. Will make again. Also got to use some herbs a planted this year.
Monica Nedeff says
Oh how perfect to get to use home grown herbs! So glad to hear you ejoyed it!
Nan Radabaugh says
Excited to make this and use up some of the cucumbers and tomatoes from my garden. Looks delicious!
Monica Nedeff says
Thanks, Nan! Nothing beats fresh from the garden 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Molly Pisula says
This looks so delicious! I love farro, and have had a hard time finding it here in Paris. But I'm bookmarking this recipe for when I find it!
Monica Nedeff, RDN says
Thanks Molly! I bet farro is a harder to find item over there! Fingers crossed you can find it 😊 - enjoy!