Citrus Herb Farro Salad (Printable Version)
Nutty farro meets juicy tomatoes and a bright citrus-herb dressing in this refreshing Mediterranean salad.
# Ingredient List:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
→ Vegetables
04 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - ½ English cucumber, diced
06 - ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Citrus & Herbs
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - Juice of 1 orange
09 - Juice of 1 lemon
10 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
→ Dressing
13 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
17 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse farro under cold running water. Combine farro, 3 cups water, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until grains are tender but still retain a slight chew. Drain excess liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and spread on a sheet pan to cool to room temperature.
02 - While the farro cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber into quarter-inch pieces, and slice the red onion into thin half-moons. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt, and several grinds of black pepper until the dressing is fully emulsified and slightly thickened.
04 - Add the cooled farro, prepared tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, chopped parsley, mint, and dill to the large mixing bowl. Pour the citrus dressing over the top and toss thoroughly until every component is evenly coated.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature so the grains absorb the dressing and the flavors marry.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and toasted sunflower seeds if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The nutty chew of farro soaked in orange and lemon juice tastes like sunshine decided to become filling.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge for two days, making it the rare salad that actually improves overnight.
02 -
- Undercooked farro is the most common mistake, so bite test a grain at the 25 minute mark and give it extra time if there is any chalky resistance in the center.
- Adding the dressing while the farro is still warm helps it absorb flavor more deeply than if you wait until everything is cold.
03 -
- Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet for two minutes, shaking constantly, because burnt seeds taste bitter and will ruin the whole bowl.
- Roll the orange on the counter pressing firmly with your palm before juicing, and you will get nearly twice as much liquid out of it.