Farro Salad with Feta and Arugula

Made with feta cheese, cucumber and leafy greens, this farro salad is filled will all of the flavours of summer. With its hearty and chewy texture and rich and nutty flavour, farro adds just the right bite to create a fibre-rich, nutritious and delicious make-ahead grain salad.

Never had farro? No problem. Farro is a relative to wheat and one of the most popular ancient grains. It has been a staple of Europe, specifically Italy, for decades, and is a highly versatile ingredient used in soups, stews, pilafs, and salads, similar to barley and millet. Not to mention, farro is a rich source of fibre, vitamins and minerals, making it the perfect base for this hearty grain salad.

More Healthy Grains Salads:

• Mediterranean Couscous Salad
• Asian Quinoa Salad
• Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Farro Salad with Feta and Arugula

Author: Stephanie Kay

The best grain salad! Made with feta cheese and arugula, this farro salad recipe is hearty, healthy, delicious, and nutritious.

• Author: Stephanie Kay
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Stovetop

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Ingredients

• 1 cup farro, dry
• 1/2 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1 cup arugula, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup mint, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
• Salt
• Pepper

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Instructions

1. Fill a medium saucepan with water, bring to a boil, add farro, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, or according to package directions, until the farro is tender but pleasantly chewy. Once cooked, strain to remove excess water, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and then transfer it to a bowl to cool completely.  (If time permits, see notes for soaking farro prior to cooking.)
2. While the farro is cooking, in a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper and mix until well combined.
3. Once the farro has cooled, add the cucumber, red onion, arugula, parsley, and mint to the bowl of farro and toss to combine.
4. Drizzle farro mixture with dressing and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with feta cheese and almonds and toss gently again to combine, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
5. The farro salad can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

Farro: If time permits, it is recommended that you soak the farro in water overnight. Soaking whole grains helps to deactivate antinutrients, such as phytic acid, and ensure they are more easily digested and nutrients more bioavailable. To soak farro, add it to a bowl, cover with water and allow to sit for 8-24 hours. Once soaked, strain to remove excess water and rinse well before cooking. The process of soaking the farro will reduce the cooking time to roughly 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 302 calories
• Sugar: 11 grams
• Fat: 23 grams
• Carbohydrates: 23 grams
• Fiber: 4 grams
• Protein: 6 grams

Keywords: feta cheese, arugula