An Italian farro salad bursting with sweet cherry tomatoes, peppery radishes, fresh herbs, and a bright lemon vinaigrette. It’s nourishing, easy to make, and perfect for picnics, packed lunches, or a healthy side dish.
When you want a salad with real texture and satisfying bite, this Italian farro salad delivers. It’s nutritious, full of flavor, and quick to prepare—ideal for warm-weather meals or any time you want something light but filling.
What Is Farro?
Farro is an ancient Italian grain similar to spelt or barley. It has a pleasantly chewy texture and a nutty flavor, and it’s nutritious and easy to cook. Farro is widely used in Italian salads because it holds dressing well and benefits from sitting a little while to let the flavors meld.
How to Make Farro Salad – Step by Step
Place the farro in a large saucepan, cover with plenty of salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes or until tender, then drain and let it cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper until the dressing emulsifies. Stir in the chopped basil and parsley.
Add the cooled farro and all the vegetables to the bowl. Toss everything together until well combined, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Ways to Adapt This Salad
Farro is a versatile base — add seasonal produce or use up leftovers. Try cucumber, chickpeas, bell peppers, artichokes, grilled vegetables, or fresh mozzarella to vary texture and flavor. The salad easily adapts to what you have on hand.
Top Tip: Use the freshest, best-quality seasonal vegetables you can. When ingredients are flavorful, you don’t need many extras to make a delicious salad.
The Dressing
The dressing here is simple and fresh: olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. It keeps the salad light and bright. For a bolder profile, stir some Dijon mustard into the dressing, or add extra herbs and spices if serving the salad as a main course.
Top Tips for the Best Farro Salad
- Check the cooking time for the farro brand you buy, as times can vary.
- Always salt the cooking water—this seasons the grain from within.
- Whisk the dressing until it becomes emulsified and smooth before adding it to the salad.
- Allow the farro to cool before mixing it with the other ingredients. It can be slightly warm, but not hot.
- If you don’t have farro, spelt or barley make excellent substitutes and are prepared the same way.
- Customize the salad with different vegetables, herbs, and spices to suit your taste.
- Store covered in the refrigerator; the salad keeps well for 1–2 days.
More Italian Salad Ideas
- Tuna Panzanella – Italian Bread Salad
- Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad with Basil and Lemon
- Classic Caprese Salad – Easy, Fresh & Delicious
- Loaded Lentil Salad with Eggplant and Burrata
If you make this Italian Farro Salad, please leave a comment to share how it turned out—I love hearing from readers!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include photos, tips, and sometimes video to help you get great results.
Italian Farro Salad
By Emily
Ingredients
- ~1 1/4 cups Farro (250g)
- ~7 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (200g)
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 3 radishes, finely sliced
- 1 large handful basil, roughly chopped
- 1 large handful parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
- Place the farro in a large saucepan, cover with plenty of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook 15–20 minutes until tender, then drain and cool.
- Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until emulsified. Add chopped basil and parsley and stir to combine.
- Add the cooled farro and vegetables to the bowl. Toss everything together, taste, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Check the farro package for exact cooking time; brands vary.
- Season the cooking water with salt to add flavor to the grain.
- Whisk the dressing until fully emulsified before mixing with the salad.
- Allow farro to cool before combining; it can be slightly warm but not hot.
- Substitute spelt or barley if you don’t have farro.
- The salad stores well covered in the refrigerator for 1–2 days.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in recipes unless noted otherwise.
- All vegetables are medium-sized unless specified.
- Find out more about nutrition calculation on the site.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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