When the vegetable crisper in the fridge is pretty full, that’s the signal that it’s time to make a big salad. And this Mediterranean farro salad will fill you up in the best way with lots of texture and crunch.

If you want something more than a Meatless Monday meal, top this vegetable farro salad with some perfectly cooked chicken breasts and you’ll have a really quick weeknight meal for the whole family.

Before we launch into making this farro salad recipe, we need to address one thing.

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What is farro?

Farro is a whole grain with a nutty chewy texture that is great when hot like oatmeal in breakfast cereal and equally good at room temperature as in this popular citrus farro salad.

The farro grain has 3 parts to it: the einkorn (farro piccolo), emmer (farro medio), and spelt (farro grande). You probably guessed that those three Italian adjectives refer to small, medium and large farro.

Here in the U.S., we usually see the grain in the emmer or farro medio form.

Three ways farro is processed

Depending on where you live, you might have access to different kinds of farro. Most people think there are two types of farro actually it isn’t a kind but what remains after it’s processed.

• Whole farro. Includes the bran surrounding the grain.
• Semi-pearled farro. Part of the bran is removed, which is why it’s called semi-pearled.
• Pearled farro. The whole bran is removed such as this farro from Bob’s Red Mill.

Check the ingredient label of your farro to see which kind of farro you have.

Ingredient list for Mediterranean farro salad

If this is your first time making farro, this quick salad is a good introduction to the grain. Another easy farro recipe is this burrata farro side dish.

Here’s are the unique ingredients you’ll need:

An oh-so good zesty vinaigrette dressing recipe

Making a homemade salad dressing is key to this recipe and also so darn easy. Why buy jars of bottled dressings that are just going to fill up your fridge door? Learn how easy it is to make your own salad dressing and whisk up these pantry-ready ingredients.

How to make Mediterranean farro salad: step by step

Ready to make the best farro salad? Here we go!

• Cook the farro according to the package directions. Drain and set aside to cool completely. Add to bowl with veggies.
• Chop up all your veggies consistent with the size of the lupini beans so not super tiny but not big chunks either. Add to a large, shallow salad bowl – I love this Apilco wide salad bowl from Williams-Sonoma!
• Whisk up the salad dressing and drizzle a little over the salad. Toss and taste. Add more as needed.

Tips for cooking farro

Whole grain farro. Usually will require soaking overnight. Certainly not a deal-breaker but you can’t be spontaneous with it like you can the semi-pearled or pearled farro. Cooking time: about 35-45 minutes.

Semi-grain or pearled farro. Cooking time is closer to 20 minutes since part of the tough bran is removed.

p.s. Trader Joe’s farro label doesn’t specify which kind of farro it is; only the fact that it’s pre-cooked to reduce the typically long cooking time giving the impression it’s either semi- or pearled farro.

Recipe for success

Here’s some tips to make this farro salad recipe a success:

Make ahead

• Make the farro and chop the veggies ahead and mix with 1/2 of the dressing.
• Add the other half of dressing right before serving.

Storage tips

Store farro salad in an airtight, sealed container for up to three days.