Classic Greek Salad with Our Favorite Hearty Grain
Hearty cold salads are one of our go-to warm-weather meals. They’re easy to toss together, perfect for meal prep, & dance the fine line between “light lunch” & “easy side dish for dinner” beautifully. That’s a win in my book! 🙌🏼
This Greek Farro Salad is one of our all-time favorite hearty cold salads. We first shared this recipe back in 2021 & it’s been a total hit with PWWB readers ever since! It starts with a base of a classic Greek salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese), but we make it a little more substantial by adding hearty chickpeas & farro. It delivers crave-worthy light & bright Mediterranean flavor, but it’s also filled with tons of texture – crunchy cucumbers, creamy feta & chickpeas, &, of course, satisfying farro.
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Greek Farro Salad Recipe Highlights
This easy Greek farro salad recipe is…
A PERFECT HYBRID. Greek farro salad has everything you love about traditional Greek salad with the satisfying, hearty, & plant-powered addition of chickpeas & farro. A totally substantial vegetarian salad with amazing light & bright flavor!
EASY TO MAKE. Chop the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, & roasted red peppers, then whip up a quick Greek vinaigrette while the farro boils. This farro salad recipe comes together in 35 minutes or less, with pantry staples & seasonal faves!
TOTALLY VERSATILE. Serve Mediterranean farro salad warm or cold, as a side dish or plant-powered main, or meal prep for the best weekday lunches ever. With so many ways to love it, it’s the perfect any-occasion dish!
Our warm weather fave! ♡ Read on to learn more about this Greek Farro Salad, or jump straight to the recipe & get cookin’!
Key Ingredients
Like many Mediterranean-inspired recipes, this Greek farro salad is made with simple, fresh ingredients that pack a punch of light, bright flavor. It’s a total flavor bomb & texture lover’s dream!
Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.
You need…
- Farro – Of course – it wouldn’t be a Greek farro salad without it! Farro is one of our favorite whole grains. If it’s new to you, you’re in for such a treat – learn more about farro in the Ingredient Spotlight below!
- Lots of veggies! – A combination of juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy & cooling cucumber, roasted red pepper, & quickly pickled red onions keeps this dish true to its Greek salad roots. You can also make this farro salad recipe with whatever is in your refrigerator already, though, so feel free to use what you have & call it good.
- Feta – Another nod to classic Greek salad! Good quality feta is a must here. We prefer buying feta that’s packaged in brine & then simply dice it into bite-sized pieces. Feta in brine is richer in flavor & its texture is so much creamier than the pre-crumbled stuff.
- Chickpeas – My favorite easy plant-powered protein. Good ol’ canned chickpeas work perfectly here!
- Greens – We love adding a handful of peppery arugula to this Greek farro salad but feel free to use any other greens you have on hand, like romaine lettuce, spinach, or spring greens.
- Greek vinaigrette – Made with a simple but flavorful blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon, & oregano. This dressing adds that final touch of light & bright flare to the Mediterranean farro salad! Learn more! ⇢ Easy Greek Dressing recipe.
What is Farro?
This hearty, chewy grain is the star ingredient in this Greek farro salad recipe! Farro is an ancient whole grain that just so happens to be a relative of modern-day wheat, though it has a similar texture, appearance, and flavor to barley. It’s a great natural source of plant-based protein & fiber!
More farro FAQs:
- Farro origins? ⇢ Farro is an ancient grain that’s been around for centuries. It was a staple ingredient in ancient Roman times & continues to be popular in Italy & other Mediterranean cuisines to this day.
- What does farro taste like? ⇢ We love farro for its rich & nutty flavor, plus it has the best hearty & chewy texture. The taste of farro may remind you of other whole grains like oats & barley.
- What is the best way to eat farro? ⇢ We love using farro to bulk up salads & grain bowls with a little bit of texture. It adds the BEST hearty, chewy bite to this Greek farro salad recipe. Plus it’s a great source of plant-based protein, especially for vegetarian dishes.
- Which farro is best? ⇢ You can find many varieties of farro out there but our favorite is always Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro. It’s super high quality & so easy to prepare (it boils just like pasta!). More on that coming up.
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Buy Now → How to Cook Farro Perfectly Every Single Time
While many grains can be a little temperamental to cook, farro errs on the simpler end of the spectrum. Some recipes may direct you to prepare farro like rice (i.e. gently simmering in a certain ratio of water until absorbed), but we always boil farro (much like the way you’d boil pasta). It couldn’t be simpler & yields perfect results every time.
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
How to Boil Farro
Rinse the farro well. Place uncooked farro in a fine mesh sieve & rinse with warm water for a good 30 seconds. Why? ⇢ Raw farro has a powdery coating, which we find makes the cooking liquid pretty starchy & gives the cooked farro a gluey texture. A quick rinse washes the coating away altogether.
Boil the farro in salty water. Season a large pot of water with a few tablespoons of kosher salt & bring it to a roaring boil. Add the rinsed farro to the pot & cook until tender with a lovely chewy al dente bite. Pearled farro cooks up in about 30 minutes. Quick tip! ⇢ Because of farro’s lengthy cook time, you’ll need to use quite a bit of water so it doesn’t boil off before the farro finishes cooking. I typically cook 1 cup of pearled farro in a 4-quart Dutch oven.
Drain. Once the farro is cooked, simply drain off the starchy cooking liquid through the same fine mesh sieve you used to rinse the farro. Now it’s ready to use in your Greek farro salad – easy!
Other Farro Tips & Tricks
Season while it’s warm. My #1 farro tip is to season your farro while it’s still warm. Warm farro soaks up whatever dressing or seasoning you’re using, making for an even more flavorful final dish. Toss it in the Mediterranean farro salad vinaigrette right away!
Farro triples in volume as it cooks! For example, 1 cup of dry farro yields 3 cups of cooked farro. Keep this in mind as you decide how much farro to use. This Greek farro salad calls for ¾ cup of dry farro.
Make-ahead & storage. Cooked farro will keep for up to 1 week, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze cooked farro in a freezer container for up to 1 month, which is ideal for batch cooking & meal prepping.
Greek Farro Salad Assembly & Serving Suggestions
One of the best things about farro salads is that cooking farro is nearly entirely inactive. That means you can easily chop your veggies & whip up a simple Greek dressing all while the farro boils on the stove. Then once the farro is cooked, all you have to do is toss it all together in a big bowl. Pretty easy!
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
Assembly
Once all the Greek farro salad components are ready, it’s time to assemble. Toss the warm farro with the Greek vinaigrette, then add it to a large bowl with the chopped veggies, diced feta, rinsed chickpeas, & greens. For a little more freshness, feel free to add in a handful of fresh herbs like fresh parsley, basil, or mint!
Step-by-Step Video
Serving Suggestions
We love enjoying this hearty Mediterranean farro salad on its own for a light & fresh vegetarian meal. The combination of hearty farro & chickpeas makes it super satisfying!
That being said, it also doubles as a great side dish for warm weather dinners. Serve your Greek farro salad with other favorites like…
- Grilled Greek chicken, which has the best flavor thanks to a lemony yogurt marinade. For a shortcut, try this Grilled Lemon Chicken. It doesn’t require as long of a marinate, but still packs a big punch of light & herbaceous flavor.
- Turkey or chicken burgers. Greek farro salad is also fantastic with these Mediterranean-inspired Falafel Burgers.
- Greek-Inspired Lemon Chicken Wings, served with the best whipped feta!
- Grilled leg of lamb or grilled steak for a full-on feast.
- Plus a side of grilled veggies!
Easy Farro Salad Recipe Variations
Recipe Variations
This Greek farro salad is naturally vegetarian, but with a couple of quick tweaks it’s easily suited for other diets as well…
- To make it dairy-free & vegan, simply omit feta or use your favorite vegan feta.
To make it gluten-free, simply swap the farro for your favorite gluten-free whole grain. Quinoa & buckwheat are both great options for this recipe!
Mediterranean Farro Salad Make-Ahead & Meal Prep Tips
A quick 15-minute meal prep makes this Greek farro salad recipe come together even faster. A few days ahead of time, you can prep any or all of the components. At dinnertime, all you have to do is toss them all together & serve (aka, the best part):
- Chop the veggies. This is most of the active prep work in this farro salad recipe! Dice the red onion, cucumber, & roasted red peppers & halve the cherry tomatoes & you’ll take most of the leg work out of this dish.
- Make the Greek vinaigrette by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, finely diced garlic, & dried oregano. You can also add all the ingredients to a mason jar & shake to combine, then simply store the jar in the fridge until assembly.
- Cook the farro & simply let it cool before storing. If you’ve already made the Greek dressing then toss it on the farro while it’s warm & store the grains for later. They’ll soak up all the bright & garlicky flavor!
This Greek farro salad is also a fantastic meal to make ahead & enjoy throughout the week. We love to toss it together at the beginning of the week & keep it on hand as an easy meal or side dish. It is best served within 3 days of assembly, though it’ll keep for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
I can’t wait for you to try this Greek Farro Salad recipe! I’m pretty sure that once you do, you’ll understand why it’s our fave – its light & bright flavors & hearty, crunchy textures are simply unbeatable!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡
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Favorite Greek Farro Salad
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes (mostly inactive)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: serves 8–10 1x
- Category: Entree Salads & Bowls, Side Dish Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This wholesome & feel-good Greek Farro Salad is one of my favorite recipes we’ve ever shared here on PWWB. It kicks cravable classic Greek salad up a few satisfying notches with hearty add-ins like chickpeas & farro. The result is the perfect vegetarian salad filled with light & bright flavor & satisfying textures. It’s absolutely delicious!
If farro is a new-to-you ingredient, you’re in for such a treat. Farro is an ancient whole grain – a distant relative to modern-day wheat – with a nice rich & nutty flavor. What makes farro really special, though, is its bouncy texture – it is pleasantly chewy & so hearty. I love tossing it into salads to easily bulk them up & make them more satisfying.
Once the farro is cooked, simply toss it with classic Greek salad veggies, chickpeas, & fresh greens, then drench it all in a tangy Greek-inspired vinaigrette. Be sure to check the Recipe Notes, below, for meal prep tips & the blog post, above, for serving suggestions & quick variations! ♡ Happy cooking!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro, rinsed well
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 3 mini cucumbers, diced (about 1 ½ cups diced)
- 6 ounces roasted red pepper, drained, rinsed, patted dry & diced
- 6 ounces feta, patted dry & cubed or crumbled
- one 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the simple Greek vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon juice)
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ground black pepper & crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the farro: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the farro and boil 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until your desired al dente texture is reached. Drain & immediately rinse with cold water. Set aside to drain well.
- Veggie prep: Meanwhile, as the farro cooks, prep the remaining ingredients starting with the onion. Place the finely diced red onion in a small bowl & squeeze the lemon juice over top. Stir to combine & set aside to sit as you prepare the remaining ingredients. Slice the tomatoes, dice the cucumbers, & roasted red bell pepper, etc. Once all of your ingredients are prepped, drain the lemon juice from the onions & discard.
- Make the simple Greek vinaigrette: Combine all listed ingredients in a small bowl or jar. For a little kick of heat, sprinkle in a little crushed red pepper flake. Whisk or shake to combine. Taste and season with additional kosher salt or ground black pepper as desired. Set aside, or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Assemble the farro salad: To a large bowl, add the farro, red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, roasted red pepper, feta, chickpeas, & arugula. Pour the simple Greek vinaigrette over top. Toss to combine. Taste & adjust seasonings as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make-ahead & storage: This Greek Farro Salad is best when served within 3 days of assembly, though it’ll keep for up to 5 days. Store the assembled farro salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: If you’d like to do just a little prep in advance to help cut down on the active prep time when you make your Greek Farro Salad, go ahead & chop the veggies &/or make the simple Greek dressing:
- Prep the simple Greek vinaigrette according to Step 3 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (5 minutes active prep)
- Finely dice ½ medium red onion, halve or quarter cherry tomatoes, & dice 3 mini cucumbers & 6 ounces roasted red pepper. Store in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (10 minutes active prep)
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Really easy and delicious way to use up my CSA veggies! And easy to adjust based on what you have. I made this 3 weeks in a row for my work lunches hah!
3 weeks in a row is the highest praise, Swetha!! So happy you loved the salad and were able to use up those veggies!
For the make ahead & storage directions, you said it is best when served within 3 days of assembly, though it’ll keep for up to 5 days. Store the assembled farro salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Is it ok to add the dressing to the salad and store? I am worried about the arugula wilting.
Hi Jess! Yes, you can store the assembled salad for up to 5 days. The arugula may wilt a bit. If you prefer, you can store the dressing separately, or add the arugula upon serving. Hope that helps! 🙂
This came out unbelievably delicious! I skipped the roasted red peppers just bc I’m not a huge fan of those, and I didn’t have red onion on hand so I used a sweet white onion. I might add some castelvatrano olives next time for another level of depth richness. Definitely keeping this one on rotation this summer!
The versatility of this salad is one of the reasons we love it so much, Aela!! So happy to hear you made it work for you and that you enjoyed it as much as we do!
This salad is delicious!! I made it for a luncheon and the gals loved it!! I find myself craving it now. 🤣 Will definitely be making it again soon!
It’s definitely a crave-worthy salad, Britt! So happy to hear you enjoyed it as much as we do!