This flavorful Italian farro salad is a healthy and easy vegetarian dish that makes a great side or base for a main course. It’s full of Mediterranean ingredients, including roasted red peppers, parsley, pepperoncini peppers, artichokes, mozzarella pearls, and a caper vinaigrette. Serve this cold farro vegetable recipe on a summer night or whip it up to store in the fridge for lunch!
The perfect vehicle for summer produce, salads are on repeat during this time of year. But even though I love leafy greens like arugula and spinach, I don’t always want to use them as a salad base. (If I do crave them, I love making my Simple Spinach Arugula Salad!) When this happens, I enjoy using whole grains and not-as-common veggies to mix things up.
Lately, my whole grain of choice has been farro. Something about the chewy texture and nutty flavor is so satisfying. It’s rich in fiber and easy to prep in advance to add to dishes for a quick meal. Plus, farro is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and therefore the perfect base for this Italian farro salad!
I was inspired by the flavors in Italian chopped salad when dreaming up this recipe but wanted to add some twists. It’s similar in the sense that it hits all the right salty, acidic, and even some sweet notes, but the included veggies are a little different. I hope you enjoy this delicious concoction as much as I do!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Farro: Make it in advance to save time or look for the 10 minute farro that Trader Joe’s sells. If you don’t have farro and/or need a gluten-free option, sub brown rice or quinoa. I love the aforementioned TJ’s brand or the Bob’s Red Mill kind.
- Roasted red peppers: Make your own by following my super easy Italian Roasted Peppers Recipe, or use the jarred kind!
- Cucumber: This adds a refreshing crunch. Use some thinly shredded iceberg lettuce if you don’t have cucumber.
- Artichoke hearts: A jar or can of quartered hearts in water will do the trick. I don’t like to use marinated ones in Italian farro salad, since I think they add too much oil and/or vinegar and affect the intended flavor profile.
- Parsley: Sub fresh basil if that’s what you have! Or heck, add it in addition to the parsley if you so please.
- Pepperoncini peppers: Omit if you don’t like spice and add more if you do! You can also sub banana peppers.
- Mozzarella pearls: Get the little balls for this recipe. It’s helpful to have all the ingredients be around the same size so the flavors are all dispersed evenly. Plus, it’s easier to eat that way. If you can’t find the little balls, shred a log of mozzarella into small pieces.
- Extra virgin olive oil: A good brand makes all the difference. I love to use Partanna.
- Red wine vinegar and lemon juice: The combination of these flavors is a great touch, but you can use all vinegar or all lemon juice if that’s all you have.
- Red onion: Soak it in the dressing so it softens while you prep the other ingredients. Sub shallots or sweet onions if needed.
- Capers: I told you I went hard on the Mediterranean ingredients! Swap in some green olives if that’s what you have on hand.
- Garlic: Fresh is great in this recipe, but sub ½ teaspoon garlic powder if you don’t have fresh.
- Dried oregano and salt
Instructions
The full recipe card for Italian farro salad is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you.
Prepare farro according to package instructions.
In the meantime, prep the dressing and let it sit so the onion softens. Then, chop up the rest of the veggies and parsley.
Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Add the dressing and mix well until coated. Serve right away or put in the fridge to get cold.
Possible Additions
Italian farro salad is wonderful on its own, but you can add some other Mediterranean-inspired ingredients and/or additional sources of protein to bulk it up. Here are some ideas:
- Salami
- Olives (black, green, or kalamata)
- Chickpeas
- Salmon
- Chicken
- Parmesan cheese
- Romaine lettuce, radicchio, baby arugula, or baby spinach
- Tomatoes
- Basil
Storage
This recipe will keep for up to 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to freshen it up with a squeeze of lemon juice before eating leftovers.
More Farro Recipes
If you love cold Italian farro salad, check out some other ways to enjoy this whole grain with vegetables!
📖 Recipe
Italian Farro Salad
Ingredients
Farro salad
- 1 cup dry farro - about 2.5 cups cooked
- 1 cup roasted red peppers - from about 2 red peppers, or use jarred ones; chopped
- ¾ to 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts - in water, about 1 9.9 oz jar; chopped
- 1 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and chopped
- ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers - up to ½ cup if you want more spice; chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 8 ounce mozzarella pearls
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoons capers - with their brine
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the farro. My preferred method is to bring 8 cups of water and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil. Add the farro, return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium to maintain a rapid simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until tender and chewy. Refer to the instructions on your package of farro in case they differ (some don't require as long of a cooking time). Make the farro up to a few days in advance and store in the fridge to cut back on prep time.
- Note: If you are not using jarred roasted red peppers, you should also prepare them before completing the rest of the steps. Refer to my Italian Roasted Red Peppers recipe if needed.
- While the farro is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Chop the veggies and parsley.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, red onion, garlic, capers, oregano, and salt.
- Combine the cooked farro, prepared vegetables and parsley, and mozzarella in a mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir well until coated.
- Serve the salad immediately, or let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours to chill. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
- Possible additions include salami, chickpeas, chicken, lettuce, olives, parmesan, and/or tomatoes.
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