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Italian · Mediterranean

Insalata di farro

Vegetarian

Nutty, chewy farro cooled and tossed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and basil in a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing — a summer grain salad from central Italy.

Insalata di farro is an Italian salad from Italy, ready in about 1 hour and made with farro and tomato. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Rest
20 min
Total
1 h
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
301

Ingredients

4 servings

For cooking

For the dressing

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rinse the uncooked farro (opens in a new tab) and boil it in plenty of salted water like pasta until tender but chewy, 20–25 minutes for semi-pearled.

    Pasta boiling in a pot of water
    How it looks · Photo: Gianpiero Ferraro on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Drain well and spread on a tray for about 20 minutes, until cool and dry to the touch.

  3. Step 3

    Whisk (opens in a new tab) the vinegar, salt and pepper (opens in a new tab), then whisk in the oil.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Toss the cooled farro (opens in a new tab) with the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), cucumber (opens in a new tab), onion and dressing. Fold in the basil (opens in a new tab) (and mozzarella (opens in a new tab), if using) just before serving.

    • 4 min

About this dish

Origin
Tuscany and Umbria, Italy · Commonly attributedMore food from Italy
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Salads · Main courses · Side dishes
Cooking method
Boiled
Taste
nutty, fresh, herby, tangy
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Mediterranean-style
Without the optional extras: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWith the listed swaps: No gluten ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Meal-prep friendly · Make-ahead · Portable / lunchbox
Cook more with
Tomato · Cucumber · Red onion · Basil · Wine vinegar
Techniques
Boiling

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom mozzarella
  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom farro
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom farro
  • May contain: Sulphitesfrom wine vinegar

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

301 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 263 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 10%
  • Carbohydrate 48%
  • Fat 42%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy301 kcal114 kcal
Protein7.9 g3 g
Carbohydrate38.1 g14.5 g
Net carbohydrate32.1 g12.2 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre6 g2.3 g
Fat14.7 g5.6 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium595 mg226 mg
Salt equivalent1.5 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
414 mg
Calcium
36 mg
Iron
2.6 mg
Magnesium
77 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
38 µg
Vitamin C
11 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: mozzarella.
  • Farro: Cooked spelt used for farro (both are hulled ancient wheats); weigh cooked.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Dress the grain while slightly warm for more flavour, but add the tomatoes and basil once it is cool.

Common mistakes

  • Overcooking the farro — it should stay chewy, or the salad turns stodgy.

Serve with

  • A picnic main or alongside grilled fish.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days in the fridge (add basil fresh).

Variations

  • With tuna and beans: Add canned tuna and cannellini beans for a high-protein lunch.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Farro, cooked and cooled500 g
  • Tomato, cherry tomatoes, halved250 g
  • Cucumber, diced0.5 piece · 150 g
  • Mozzarella, small balls (bocconcini) or torn (optional)125 g
Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

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