Farro and Arugula Salad with a Tangy Balsamic Vinaigrette
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This healthy and hearty salad is made with rustic farro, bitter arugula, sweet raisins, and tangy homemade balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect fall dish loaded with nutrients and protein to keep you feeling your best! I love meal-prepping this salad for the week and keeping the dressing separate until it’s time to eat it, or prepping this as a healthy dish to bring to a potluck or picnic. Once you try this farro and arugula salad, don’t be surprised if it sneaks its way into your weekly meal rotation!
What is Farro?
My favorite farro to use is the 10-minute Farro from Trader Joe’s (it’s SO easy to throw together in a pinch)! My favorite way to enjoy farro is tossed into a salad like this Farro Greek Salad, but it’s also a great side – best cooked in salted water to pack it with as much flavor as possible.
If your grocery store doesn’t have farro, a great substitute that you can use is sprouted barley – which takes a little longer to cook but achieves a similar taste and texture. I love using rustic grains for this salad because the dressing and additional veggies in it are bright and bursting with flavor. These grains absorb the additional flavors and give the salad a beautifully balanced taste. It’s also a great way to introduce another texture into your salad!
I cook my barely in salted water as well to pack it with as much flavor as possible (kudos to my favorite cooking book – Salt Fat Acid Heat, which enlightened me on the importance of salt for flavor in almost all cooking – even boiling).
Ingredients:
For the salad you’ll need:
- Arugula
- Farro (or barley if you can’t find farro)
- Cucumber
- Red Pepper
- Red Onion
- Feta Cheese
- Raisins (optional)
For the vinaigrette you’ll need:
- Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Honey
- Dijon Mustard
- Salt
Farro Salad Recipe:
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Farro and Arugula Salad with a Tangy Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Farro Salad:
- 8.8 oz Farro (One package of the 10-minute farro from Trader Joe’s OR sub 1:1 ratio of sprouted barley)
- 3 cup Arugula
- 1–1.5 cup English cucumber (About half of an English cucumber)
- 1 cup Red bell pepper (diced)
- 1 cup Red onion (diced)
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese
- 2–3 Grilled Chicken Breasts (optional for extra protein)
- 1/4 c raisins
For the Tangy Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinaigrette (Add one additional if you prefer a really tangy balsamic flavor)
- 1 tbsp Honey (Add additional honey if you prefer a sweeter and less acidic dressing)
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard (Can sub Tahini as the emulsifier here)
- Salt + Pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Cook your farro
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil (per your package instructions) and add in your farro then cook for 10-12 minutes until softened. Strain and let cool for 10-15 minutes
2. Chop your Vegetables
While your farro is cooking, dice up your bell pepper and onions. Chop up your English cucumber by cutting it in half, then halving it again before chopping to create little quarter slices
3. Make your Vinaigrette
Add your olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and honey to a small bowl and whisk together until creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste
4. Toss your Salad
Toss your farro, chopped veggies, arugula, and feta in a large bowl, gradually adding in your vinaigrette until your salad is coated to your liking. Top it off with the protein of your choice (I loved grilled chicken).