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This farro salad is a tasty, high-protein mix of ancient grains, crunchy walnuts, apple slices, raisins, and peppery arugula with shaved parmesan. Tossed with my sweet-tangy maple vinaigrette, it’s one of my favorite hearty salads.
Easy Farro Salad With Arugula, Apples & Parmesan
My easy farro salad recipe combines cooked grains with fresh greens and apples, similar to my kale quinoa salad. I’ve added shaved parm, chopped nuts, and raisins, and swapped kale with arugula for a bright, peppery punch. To round it all out, a simple maple Dijon dressing is added in, and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Once cooked, farro has a texture similar to couscous, even though it isn’t pasta. If you’re looking for a fresh yet filling, sweet-savory, crunchy salad to make for tonight’s dinner, this weekend’s cookout, or next week’s lunches, this is your guy.
What Is Farro?
Farro is a nutty, chewy ancient grain, similar to barley, quinoa, or bulgur. It’s popular in Mediterranean cooking, and one of my favorite swaps for rice or pasta in recipes.
Try farro instead of pasta in this orzo salad, or farro instead of rice the next time you make risotto. It’s hearty and satisfying, which makes this farro salad ideal for adapting to meal prep.
What’s Needed For This Farro Salad Recipe
Here’s a look at the ingredients in this quick grain salad recipe. Remember to scroll to the recipe card for the complete ingredient amounts.
- Dry Farro – You’ll find whole, semi-pearled, and pearled farro in stores. Whole grains require soaking and longer cooking times, while pearled farro is polished and quick-cooking. I use whole farro for this recipe.
- Arugula – Pretty much any sturdy salad greens will work here. Spinach, kale, and mesclun are good alternatives.
- Apple – Thinly sliced, or you can save time by grating the apple using the large holes of a box grater. My favorite apples for salads are sweet, crisp varieties like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, and Granny Smith.
- Raisins – You can skip these or use chopped dates or dried cranberries if preferred.
- Hard Cheese – Good for shaving or grating, like Parmesan or Pecorino Romano. Other good options are crumbled feta or tangy goat cheese.
- Walnuts – Or pecans, chopped.
For the Dressing
- Olive Oil – I like to use a good-quality extra virgin olive oil when making homemade salad dressings. You can taste the difference!
- Cider Vinegar – You could use white balsamic vinegar, white or red wine vinegar, or lemon juice instead.
- Maple Syrup – Feel free to use honey.
- Dijon Mustard – I don’t recommend substituting yellow mustard, but you could try brown or whole grain.
Cooking Farro for Salad
Before cooking, you’ll rinse the farro under cold water. Then, cook the farro in a pot of salted, boiling water until it’s fork-tender. The cooking time depends on the type of farro you’re using:
- Pearled (polished to remove the bran): 10-20 minutes
- Semi-Pearled (partially polished): 20-30 minutes
- Whole (bran and germ intact): Closer to 40 minutes
After cooking, drain the farro well and spread it out on a baking sheet to help it cool more quickly. The farro needs to be completely cooled before you add it to the arugula, or the leaves will wilt.
Dressing Options for Farro Salad
I love how the maple Dijon vinaigrette complements the nuttiness of the farro and the sweetness of the apples in this salad. But if you’d like to change it up, try classic Italian dressing, or any of my homemade salad dressing recipes:
- Try the raspberry vinaigrette from my broccoli salad
- Or the Dijon vinaigrette from this copycat La Scala chopped salad
- Honey mustard, with extra olive oil added to thin it out a little
- Avocado salad dressing
- Catalina dressing
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Farro does contain gluten and isn’t suitable for gluten-free diets. If needed, substitute quinoa or chickpeas instead.
Yes! Whenever I make this salad ahead, I’ll leave out the arugula and apples until it’s time to serve. Everything else, including the dressing, gets tossed together in a meal prep container and stashed in the fridge.
To slow down the browning process, toss the apple slices with a little lemon juice before adding them to the salad.
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Farro Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 cup dry farro
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 1 apple, thinly sliced or finely chopped, use your favorite variety
- ¼ cup raisins, or dried cranberries
- 1 cup freshly shaved or grated Parmesan cheese, or Pecorino
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, or pecans
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the farro. Rinse the farro. Fill a medium pot with water. Salt the water to taste and bring it to a boil. Once the water boils, stir in the farro. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender. Cooking time will depend on the type of farro you're using: 10-20 minutes for pearled, 20-30 minutes for semi-pearled, and 40 minutes for whole farro. I used whole farro for this salad. Once cooked, drain the farro and spread it out on a large baking sheet to cool.
- Make the dressing. Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Assemble the salad. Add the cooled farro to a bowl, and toss it with the apple slices, raisins, shaved cheese, nuts, and arugula. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss the salad to coat it with the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.
Equipment
Notes
- Cooking depends on the type of farro: 10-20 minutes for pearled, 20-30 for semi-pearled, and 40 for whole farro. Or just follow the instructions on the package.
- Make sure the farro is cooled before combining it with the fresh arugula, or the arugula will wilt.
- You can use dried cranberries or chopped dates instead of raisins.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make This Farro Salad
Making a farro salad is as easy as combining cooked farro in a bowl with the apples, raisins, shaved cheese, walnuts, and greens. Whisk the dressing ingredients, and pour that on top. Toss, serve, and enjoy!
Storage Tips
Don’t add the dressing until right before serving, so the arugula doesn’t become soggy. If you have leftover salad, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
