THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY
Bob’s Red Mill, with whom I’m thrilled to partner throughout 2024. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Hearty Summer Grain Salad Inspired By Italian Antipasti
Pasta salads are a picnic staple for good reason – but about halfway through the summer, I’m ready to switch things up.
And that’s when I love turning to chewy, nutty farro.
The hearty whole grain adds the best satisfying touch to any light and fresh dish, as evidenced by my popular vegetarian Greek Farro Salad and veggie-loaded Summer Farro Salad recipes.
This hearty Italian Farro Salad recipe follows suit. It has all the flavor of an antipasto pasta salad but swaps out noodles for the fiber-rich whole grain instead!
You’ll start with the meats, cheeses, and olives traditionally found in an Italian antipasti spread (for which I am a huge sucker! 😋). Just toss it all up with al dente farro, crunchy fresh veggies, and peppery arugula, and the iconic starter course quickly becomes a wholesome salad.
It’s a delicious make-ahead lunch and satisfying summer dinner, but it’s also the perfect low-effort recipe to meal prep and share at a potluck or BBQ. An all-purpose dish you’ll come back to all summer long!
Shop This Post
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Stainless Steel Measuring Cups & Spoons
Buy Now →
Buy Now → How to Cook and Season Farro
Farro is a delicious whole grain that just so happens to be an ancient relative of modern-day wheat. If you’ve never tried it before, farro’s hearty texture and nutty flavor are similar to barley. It’s a great source of fiber and plant-based protein.
I always keep Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro stocked in my pantry because it’s super high-quality and very easy to prepare.
While package instructions may direct you to prepare farro like rice or quinoa, I always boil farro in generously salted water – just like how you cook pasta! There’s no need to worry about a water-to-grain ratio or maintaining the perfect simmer. It couldn’t be simpler and yields a perfect result every time.
✨ Learn More! ⇢ How to Cook Farro Perfectly.
Once you’ve cooked the farro, season it immediately while it’s still warm! The grains soak up all the flavor of whatever dressing you’re using.
For this Italian farro salad recipe, I’ve opted for a simple Italian vinaigrette made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard, and honey. It gives the hearty salad deliciously bright and zippy flavor.
Italian Farro Salad Assembly
With the grains cooked and seasoned, this Italian farro salad comes together quickly with a handful of ready-to-go ingredients.
I love to shop the olive bar at my grocery store and pick whatever looks best.
My favorite combination is a blend of soppressata and asiago cheese, buttery castelvetrano olives, pepperoncini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas. To assemble, add it all to the bowl of warm farro with some baby arugula and drizzle with the rest of the Italian vinaigrette.
Make it your own! ⇢ This recipe is designed to be very versatile, so feel free to use add-ins you love most. Try it with genoa, calabrese salami or thinly sliced salami or prosciutto. Instead of nutty Asiago, try a creamier provolone or fresh mozzarella. Kalamata or mixed olives are also fantastic.
✨ Other Easy Recipe Variations. ⇢ For a vegetarian Italian farro salad, simply omit the meat. To make it dairy-free, omit the cheese or use your favorite non-dairy cheese instead.
Make-Ahead and Meal Prep Tips
Since it’s a pretty hearty dish, this Italian farro salad is make-ahead friendly, though it’s best enjoyed within 3 days of assembly. Feel free to prep ahead of time and take along to share at summer parties! Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more prep tips.
Serving Suggestions
Treat this Italian farro salad recipe as an alternative to pasta salad for summer picnics, potlucks, and backyard BBQs.
It’s the perfect easy side dish for summery mains like Grilled Italian Sausage, Grilled Tuscan Steak, Tuscan-Style Grilled Chicken, or my favorite Quick and Easy Grilled Lemon Chicken Thighs.
It’s also hearty enough to enjoy all on its own! It’s a great grab-and-go lunch or low-cook summer dinner for busy weeknights. Totally satisfying and super low-fuss!
I can’t wait for you to try this Hearty Italian Farro Salad! It’s a fun summertime staple we’ve been making over and over – I think you’ll want to, too!
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 and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
Print
Hearty Italian Farro Salad with Soppressata, Olives, & Pepperoncini
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 8–10 1x
- Category: Entree Salads & Bowls, Side Dish Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian, American
Description
This Hearty Italian Farro Salad has the meats, cheeses, olives, and veggies traditionally found in an antipasti spread, but it’s all tossed together with fiber-rich farro to make hearty and wholesome grain salad.
If farro is a new-to-you ingredient, you’re in for a treat! It’s an ancient whole grain with hearty texture and nutty flavor that might remind you of barley. Just cook it on the stovetop, season it with a zingy Italian vinaigrette, and it’s ready for the salad.
As far as add-ins go, I’ve written this recipe with my favorite combination, but I encourage you to shop your grocery store’s olive bar and choose whatever meats, cheeses, and olives look best. Have fun with it and make it your own! ♡ Happy cooking!
Ingredients
- ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro
- tangy Italian vinaigrette (below)
- 4 ounces soppressata, finely diced
- 4 ounces asiago cheese, finely diced
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced
- 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- one 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 6 ounces sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers, drained and roughly chopped
- 6 ounces pitted Castelvetrano olives, drained and roughly chopped
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
for the tangy Italian vinaigrette:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoons honey (or pure maple syrup or agave)
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Cook the farro: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the farro. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the farro is tender with a nice chewy texture, about 25-30 minutes. Drain the farro through a fine mesh sieve. Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Farro Perfectly.
- Mix the tangy Italian vinaigrette: Meanwhile, as the farro cooks, prep the vinaigrette. Add all listed ingredients to a small bowl or jar. Season with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Whisk or shake to combine well. 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.
- Season the cooked farro: Transfer the warm farro to a large bowl. Pour a few tablespoons of the tangy Italian vinaigrette over top, tossing to combine well. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Assemble the Italian farro salad: To the large bowl with the seasoned farro, add the soppressata, asiago cheese, red onion, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, pepperoncini or banana peppers, olives, and baby arugula. Pour the tangy Italian vinaigrette over top. Toss to combine well. Taste and season with additional kosher salt and ground black pepper as needed. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. Enjoy!
Notes
Jess’ Tips and Tricks:
- Serving Suggestions: This hearty Italian farro salad is great on its own, served warm, at room temperature, or cold. Meal prep it for easy grab-and-go lunches, a low-effort summer dinner, or a fun sharable for a potluck, picnic, or backyard BBQ. If you’d like to make a meal out of it, serve your Italian farro salad alongside your favorite cold-cut sandwiches, Grilled Italian Sausage, Grilled Tuscan Steak, Tuscan-Style Grilled Chicken, or my favorite Quick and Easy Grilled Lemon Chicken.
- Easy Recipe Variations: I’ve written this recipe using the add-ins we love most, but the beauty of this salad is its flexibility. Swap soppressata with genoa or calabrese salami for different flavor profiles, or use thinly sliced salami or prosciutto for delicate texture. You can also omit the meat for a vegetarian salad. I like the nutty flavor of Asiago, but provolone and fresh mozzarella also work well. Buttery Castelvetrano olives are my all-time favorite, but kalamata olives or mixed olives from an olive bar work great too. Have fun with it and make it your own!
Storage, Make-Ahead and Meal Prep:
- Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions: 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 Italian farro salad, go ahead and chop the veggies and/or make the Italian vinaigrette:
- Prep the tangy Italian vinaigrette according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. (5 minutes active prep)
- Finely dice the soppressata, asiago cheese, ½ medium red onion and 3 mini cucumbers, and halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes. Store in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (10 minutes active prep)
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!
