Zesty Farro and Arugula (Printable Version)
Nutty farro tossed with peppery arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and zesty lemon dressing for a refreshing Mediterranean meal.
# Ingredient List:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables & Greens
04 - 4 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 small cucumber, diced
08 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Cheese (optional)
09 - ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
→ Nuts & Seeds
10 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
→ Dressing
11 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
16 - ½ teaspoon honey
17 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
18 - Salt, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until farro is tender but still chewy. Drain and let cool to room temperature.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, garlic, honey, black pepper, and salt to make the dressing.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine cooled farro, arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, and parsley.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
05 - Top with feta cheese and toasted nuts.
06 - Serve immediately, or chill for up to 2 hours for enhanced flavor.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The farro gives you that satisfying chewy texture that makes you feel like youve actually eaten something substantial, not just rabbit food
- Everything can be prepped ahead so youre not stuck chopping vegetables while hungry guests hover around your kitchen island
- The dressing doubles as a brilliant marinade for grilled vegetables or chicken if you want to bulk it up later in the week
02 -
- Farro continues absorbing liquid as it sits so the salad might taste better after an hour in the fridge, but the arugula will start to wilt if it sits too long
- Massaging the arugula with a tiny bit of olive oil before adding it can make it more tender if you find the raw texture too aggressive
- The dressing can be made up to a week ahead and stored in a jar in the fridge, just bring it to room temperature and shake well before using
03 -
- If you only have pearled farro, reduce the cooking time to about 15 minutes since it processes faster than semi-pearled varieties
- Toast extra nuts while youre at it and store them in the freezer for future salads, they stay fresh for months and youll thank yourself later