Sometimes recipe concepts sit on my list for months, waiting to be made. Sometimes a craving strikes and a corresponding recipe materializes out of thin air—such is the case with this Greek farro salad. It features bold Mediterranean flavors (lemon, herbs, chickpeas, roasted red peppers and feta), tossed with lots of fresh, peppery arugula and warm, chewy whole grains. Pass me a fork already!
The best part? This salad keeps well for two to three days in the fridge, which is always welcome, but especially right now. The seasons are changing here in Kansas City and it’s just too nice outside to stay inside and cook. Let’s soak up all the seventy-degree days we can get!
To that end, I’m keeping this post short and sweet. Do let me know how you like this salad—please comment below and post a photo to Instagram with the hashtag #cookieandkate! I always want to hear/see how my recipes turn out for you.
Greek Farro Salad
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Greek
This fresh and healthy farro salad is full of bold Greek flavors! You’ll have plenty of time to prepare the ingredients while the farro cooks. Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup dried farro, rinsed
- 5 cups lightly packed arugula (if it’s not baby arugula, you might want to give it a few chops to break it into smaller pieces)
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1 large cucumber (about ¾ pound), seeded and chopped (to yield about 1 ½ cups chopped cucumber)
- 1 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
- 20 kalamata olives, sliced into thin rounds (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To cook the farro: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed farro with at least three cups water (enough water to cover the farro by a couple of inches). Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy (pearled farro will take around 15 minutes; unprocessed farro will take 25 to 40 minutes). Drain off the excess water and return the farro to the pot. Stir in ¼ teaspoon salt and a little splash of the dressing. Set aside for just a few minutes to cool.
- Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the arugula, chickpeas, cucumber, peppers, olives and parsley.
- In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes and pepper until emulsified.
- Add the warm farro to the serving bowl and drizzle in the remaining dressing. Toss to combine. Add the feta, toss again, and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my Arugula, Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Wheat Berries.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta. You might want to add more olives to make up for the feta’s salty punch. Vegans, use maple syrup or agave nectar instead of the honey.
Make it gluten free: Cook up 1 cup quinoa instead of the wheat berries (here’s how to cook it).
Storage suggestions: This salad will keep well for up to a couple of days in the refrigerator, covered.
▸ Nutrition Information
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Allyson
I love arugula and farro in salads, but I’ve never combined the two. Eating that combination in this salad outside in the sun sounds like a perfect lunch.
Kate
They totally belong together! :)
laura
YUM!!! Definitely going to make this soon to take advantage of all the last minute cukes and peppers I can get my hands on.
Emily
I love adding grains to salads to make them a bit heartier. You always come up with such dreamy salad combos!
Kate
Thank you, Emily! :)
Dee
I cannot wait to make this! I bought some farro recently and I have been looking for something to use it in. Sounds delicious!
Kate
Thank you, Dee! I hope it turns out great for you!
Jane
Bring on the weekend. Can’t wait to make this one!! Yummo!!!
Kate
Hope you loved it, Jane!
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life
Perfection! I’ve got a huge jar of roasted peppers in my cupboard that are about to be put to very good use! I can’t wait to pack this in my lunchbox! Thanks Kate!
Kate
Hope it turns out wonderfully, Amy!
Beth
Thanks for the timely and absolutely delicious salad! I woke up groggy and wondered, “What should I make for dinner tonight?” As I checked my emails this morning, this recipe popped into my inbox. How lucky! This is such a flavorful and satisfying recipe; love the addition of farro to the Greek salad. As I’ve written before, my teens devoured it as with all of your recipes. Thank you!
Kate
Beth, thank you! So glad you all enjoyed this one, too. :)
Deborah @ The Harvest Kitchen
Beautiful salad! Great list of ingredients and I love kalamata olives in my salads!! Pinning!
Elle
Gorgeous photos, gorgeous salad! I love farro and this sounds so delcious. Thanks for sharing and greetings from Hamburg. :)
Kate
Thanks, Elle! Waving hello from the center of the United States.
Eileen
What a great salad! This is exactly the kind of thing I like best for lunch. So hearty and delicious.
Kate
Thanks, Eileen!
Gaby Dalkin
It’s still SO hot in LA that I’m down for eating this salad for the next three weeks at least!
Jessie @ Chasing Belle
Your salads are the best Kate! Greek salad has been my lunch go to as of late so I will have to try this combination. Thanks!
Mary
lolz oh my gosh look at this!! Was searching “Greek foods” to go with this recipe and this came up :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY4uAHUl7Mk
★★★★★
Kate
Haha! A song about hummus… goodness.
nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
As a Greek girl, I just love the simplicity of Greek flavor profiles, I also happen to adore the nutty, chewy taste and texture of farro (my favorite grain), so this salad is very much up my alley. Beautiful. Happy Friday!
Dani
So much deliciousness in every bite! Just made this for a party I’m headed to this afternoon. I couldn’t wait and ate some for breakfast.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Dani! Hope it was a hit!
Celeste @The Whole Serving
This salad looks so delicious. I love farro anything.
Allie
This looks and sounds so refreshing & delicious! I love all of your recipes, thank you for making such healthy meals.
My fiancé is a good sport and eats lots of bunny rabbit meals with me so this will be next on our list to make.
Thanks again and have a great day!
Kate
Thank you, Allie! I just read your handstand tips, thanks for those! :)
Michael
SHUT THE DOOR!!! What a delicious salad Kate.
I made this for my wife to complement our miso maple salmon and it was a perfect marriage.
I read that you are going to publish a cookbook – outstanding! I always thought you should create cook ebooks when you stack your recipes together.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Michael! So glad you enjoyed it. Your miso maple salmon sounds awesome!
Sarika
Made it, loved it. Thank you!
Kate
Yay, thanks Sarika!
Kerry
This was delicious! Great flavors. My first time trying farro and I loved the texture. I bet it will taste even better tomorrow. Yum!
Kate
Yay! Thanks, Kerry!
Fruity Veggie Cathy
Hello Kate,
What a nice recipe! I’ll taste it as soon as possible! Thanks for sharing!
Savannah
Just made this while on holidays Italy, which was perfect because I could easily find all ingredients in the grocery store. It was delicious!!
★★★★★
Jayna
So good!!! I made this into a mason jar, layered to keep fresh for the work week and it was perfect and good energy for the day.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Jayna! Love your mason jar technique!
Michele
Made this for dinner tonight and we absolutely LOVED it. So flavorful and healthy. I will definitely make this again. I’ve made several of your recipes now and they are always wonderful.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Michele! Delighted to hear it!
Dana
Loved this sooo much!! Will even add grilled chicken to it to make it a complete meal! Even though it was filling just as is! Will definitely make this again!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Dibster
Any suggestions on what I can use instead of arugula ? Not a fan of kale either . Thanks !
Christina
I just had to come leave a comment: we made this salad tonight and it was so, so good. You continue to amaze me with your salad masterpieces. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Monica
Bought a cucumber yesterday so we could have it for dinner today! Using what is on hand and using all of it! No arugula here so spring mix is great! Diced peppers red, green orange and yellow on hand and all in! Pint of small tomatoes sliced and added. The Greek dressing is fantastic and would be good on anything you have on hand.
★★★★★
Ellen
One of the best salads of its kind. Tremendous hit with my friends. Definitely worth repeating. Thanks!
Audra
I’ve made this twice now. My husband added some chicken for a non-vegetarian meal. And of course, it was complete for me! Super delicious and makes great leftovers for work! I double the recipe! This is a winner and will go in our rotation!
★★★★★
Cynthia
Loved this recipe, definitely a keeper, thank you. Can’t wait for leftover lunch tomorrow.
★★★★★
Jill Eggers
Hi, I am excited to try this salad! Can you make the Farro ahead of time and just combine everything before serving?
Have friends over tonight and I can’t wait for them to try this.
Thanks
Kate
Jill, I’m sorry I didn’t answer sooner. Yes, that would work!
Polina
this was SO good and filling, thank you :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Polina!
Natalie P.
Can you use lentils in this recipe instead of farro? I have never made farro, but I have a lot of lentils on hand.
Gail
I love this recipe. I didn’t include the arugula until we were ready to eat. I also reserved some of the dressing. This way it lasted for days without getting soggy. We don’t do spicy, so I didn’t use the pepper flakes. Next time I might use cilantro instead of parsley. I think this is going to become a staple at our house.
Kate
Glad you were able to adjust it to your tastes, Gail!
Sarah
This was the first time I had faro (gasp!). Holy cow… the whole thing was so delicious. Everyone should most definitely try this recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
YES welcome to the world of farro! It’s delicious here.
Hilary
Delicious! a friend brought this to my house for a main dish lunch and now I bring it to other friends’ homes when i’m asked to bring something to contribute to a dinner party!
★★★★★
Kate
Nice! I love that it has been passed among friends. :) That makes me super happy.
Rebecca
Made this for dinner last night – yummy! I added roasted zucchini to up the veggies a bit and decreased the sugar but loved it – had two big bowls for lunch today too. Thanks Kate!
★★★★
Kate
Yum! You’re welcome, Rebecca. :)
Debra
I found the recipe last year and made it a couple times, and looked it up again to make and take on a camping trip with friends where it was a hit. Paired well with salmon. This is a go to recipe if you love Mediterranean flavors and healthy food!
Kate
Great! I’m glad you enjoyed this so much you looked it up again!
Silvie
Love, love, love this salad! It was a huge hit at my dinner party, and we had absolutely no leftovers. I am definitely making this again and again for future dinner parties! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
★★★★★
susie
I had a pitch in Christmas party and was thrilled that my (your) salad was the hit if the night.
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great! Thanks, Susie for your review.
Annette
How can we save your recipes on Pinterest?
Midge
This is my current favorite salad. It’s so easy to make and taste absolutely amazing! I was surprised at how well it last in the refrigerator. Just as good the third day as it was the first. Everyone in the family really enjoyed it. Thanks for the great recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
I love that you have a current favorite. :) Thank you, Midge for sharing!
Anita Darcel Taylor
Love your recipes. They are simple, healthy and a pleasure to prepare. Thank you for helping to make my weekends pleasurable and tasty. Anita Taylor.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for the review, Anita.
Anita Darcel Taylor
Just finished it. Gorgeous and delicious. I made a little extra dressing and I had pomegranate seeds so added those. Otherwise, stuck to the recipe as best I could. A must do again. You hit it on the mark with this one.
★★★★★
Kate
Love that! Thank you, Anita. I love a little extra pomegranate. :)
Micki Pressman
The Greek Farro salad is my favorite! It’s so refreshing and delicious I make it for dinner all summer and bring this to every potluck dinner. It’s always a hit.
Kate
That’s fantastic, Micki!
Lisa
Gah! I love this salad so much! I refrain from the garlic because of an allergy but it’s still amazing. It’s so fresh and filling! Will make over and over again!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Lisa! Thank you for your review.
Heather Hellenga
Your recipe led me to buy and try cooking farro for the first time…the results were delicious. The chewy texture of the grain combined with the tangy flavors was a hit with my whole family. You’re doing great work!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Heather!
Margarita Pereira
I love the Greek farro salad!
Kate
Thanks, Margarita!
Dawn
The Greek Farro salad was so delicious!Flavorful and healthy are the best<3 Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Dawn!
Kim
Hi Cookie and Kate,
this recipe is excellent. Two thumbs up from the family. I added an Organic rotisserie chicken for my family. I enjoyed the recipe as is.
Thanks again for a great recipe and making my life a little easier in the kitchen.
Kim NYC
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Kim! I’m happy you all enjoyed it.
Juliana C Griffiths
I made this Greek Farro Salad over the weekend! Lots of prep work, lots of chopping. I prepared all of the ingredients for a quick execution for the following day. This recipe was the Very Best! Worth every bit of work. My guests absolutely devoured this! Thank you!
Kate
I’m happy to hear you thought it was worth the effort, Juliana! Thanks so much for sharing.
Karen
Good salad recipe that can be easily adapted to (a) what you have in hand, and (b) the flavors you prefer. I increased the veggies, olives and feta by 1/2; used canned canelli beans; half parsley and half fresh basil; added heaping Tbs. of chopped chives. In the dressing I used 2Tbs lemon juice and 1 Tbs red wine vinegar, left out the honey, replaced the dried oregano with 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary and 1 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon, and added 1 tsp. Dijon mustard. I also plan to serve this over a bed of torn romaine instead of arugula. Some may say this is a different recipe! But I think the basic flavors are the same, just adjusted slightly. So far, I find this is a nice change from the usual tabbouleh salad I make in summer. And full of fiber.
★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Karen!
Dana
Cookie and Kate recipes never disappoint! I’ve made it a goal to try to incorporate more vegetables into my diet and this makes it so easy! I added grape tomatoes and omitted the olives due to taste preferences, and it’s simply delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for the vote of confidence, Dana! I appreciate your review.
Doreen
This is fabulous. Left out the garbanzo beans, but otherwise followed the recipe. Served it with grilled chicken. Will definitely make it again and again.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Doreen!
Lesley Jacobs
This recipe has become my go-to healthy summer salad. It easily feeds 6 people with a good sized portion. Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Lesley! Thank you for your review.
Sarah Szanton
This was a big hit at a family picnic dinner on Saturday night and then again at a lakeside potluck on Sunday! I used local arugula, cucs, parsley and feta, all bought at the farmer’s market on Saturday morning. Delicious, nutritious, and just a little bit edgy with that not-so-familiar and a-little-tricky farro!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Sarah!
Liv
this is so freakin delicious!! I like to make a double batch for my family and me for us to enjoy over a few days :) Perfect for a dinner party, potluck, picnic or bbq!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your review, Liv! It’s wonderful you loved it.
Amanda
Loved this! Thanks for the recipe. Next time I’m going add walnuts. I think they’d be a nice addition.
★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing! Nuts would be a nice addition.
Fran
I love ALL of your salads but I think this is now my favorite!!! THANK YOU!!!! It’s like healthy comfort food. Made it exactly as directed!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Fran!
Cyndy Gaspard
I have made this salad several times. One of my favorites and a hit whenever I bring it anywhere! Love many of your recipes!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Cyndy!
Ellvee
Great combination of delicious ingredients… The salad was a huge hit!
★★★★★
Lisa
Made this last night to accompany chicken, which was marinated in Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and herbs. Perfection!!! Loved the flavors and textures in this salad!
★★★★★
Viktoriia Naberezhna
Hello!
Made this salad twice and it was so delicious! Cannot wait to try other salads from your blog!
Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! Thanks for taking the time to comment and review.
Sharon
Really wonderful. My son is vegan so I excluded the cheese and it was still outstanding. We both loved the various flavors and how they melded together. It was a terrific summer meal.
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Sharon! Thanks for taking the time to comment and review.
Elaine
Great recipe and so adaptable. I went with what I had in the house which meant farro, roasted red pepper, parsley, fresh lemon, and black olives. The dressing I made with oregano fresh from the garden. Very yummy
★★★★
Kate
That sounds great, Eliane! Thank you for sharing how you made this work with what you had.
Susan
I love so many of your recipes! I’m vegan who indulges in honey, but find all adaptations you suggest work great. I hate to admit, I haven’t developed a taste for olives, I wish I would! In the meantime, may I suggest capers are a great addition for some briney-ness for those who are skipping this great salad due to the olives?
★★★★★
Kate
Capers could work! I like that idea, Susan.
Susan H
I’ve made this recipe twice within a week. It’s that good (and was a great way to use the farro I’d stocked up early as well as the cukes from my CSA). I used fresh red pepper instead of roasted from a jar and omitted the garbanzos because other protein was being served, but I have no doubt they’ll be a wonderful addition next time. I can always count on your salads to be delish!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you can count on my recipes and are getting creative, Susan! Thank you for sharing.
Barb Walsh
Perfect 4 a hot, summer day. Served it with warm naan. Triple yum! Definately a keeper
★★★★★
Jacqui
I didn’t have faro but I had bulgur wheat and this salad was still delicious! I didn’t feel like making the dressing, because I had already made cilantro lime vinaigrette, and that was delish on this as well. Basically, this salad is fool proof and you can add whatever ingredients you have on hand. Eg, I had manzanilla olives and not kalamata. LOL!
★★★★★
Suzanne
Another 5 stars! Bursting with flavors and textures! We’ve made this salad and the Roasted Cauliflower & Farro Salad. The serving sizes are very generous. My husband and I can have it for dinner, then get at least 3 lunches too.
★★★★★
Katelyn
Yum, love the Greek flavors and especially the dressing. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for trying another one, Katelyn!
Alea
We have made this twice and it is now one of our most favorite things. We prepare it on a sunday afternoon because it’s a lot of chopping but it is great the next couple days for lunches. 10/10 recommend!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Alea! I’m glad you love it for lunches.
Cheryl LaBanco
If you are making this ahead of time, should you wait to add arugula until you are ready to serve?
Kate
Hi! I find this one holds up pretty well. But if you want to keep your arugula extra crisp, that is what I would recommend.
Cindy Ozouf
This was a lovely combination. The salad dressing was simple to make and it was tasty. It’s a definitely a salad that I could have every day.
Thank you for the recipe!
maya jensen
The farro salad was really good! I added extra lemon to the dressing and more feta. Delicious!
★★★★
Joe
WOW, amazing salad, was looking for something to use up a cucumber before it went bad and found this, glad I did. Had to substitute spinach — used what I had on hand. Wife loved it too.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Joe! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.