Make ahead or meal prep! This vegan farro salad with grilled vegetables & tahini dressing can last for several days in the fridge, making it a great option for meals throughout the week.
Four days. That's how many days in a row I ate this farro salad with my lunch. Served over spinach, alongside a vegetable-based soup or with Superfood Salad with Miso Dressing, it's a fantastic make-ahead meal option. Or try it topped with grilled halloumi cheese.
Farro has a wonderfully nutty taste and chewy texture and holds up with to chunks of grilled veggies, such as eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers. If you prefer, swap in grilled summer squash or red onion. If you're not a chickpea fan, add cannellini beans instead.
As for the tahini dressing, you're going to have the urge to drizzle this over every salad that graces your plate. Nutty, lightened-up and perfectly savory.
What is farro?
Farro is an ancient whole grain that is high in fiber and protein that hails from Italy originally. It has a wonderful al dente, slightly chewy texture when cooked, making it a great base for salads or mock risottos, or an addition to soups and stews.
Is farro gluten free?
Farro is a type of wheat which, by definition, means that is is not gluten free.
For a gluten free version of this recipe, substitute the farro with quinoa or brown rice.
Can farro salad be made ahead of time?
Yes! That's the beauty of this salad. The make-ahead factor makes it perfect for potlucks and meal prep. In fact, I ate a bit of this easy farro salad with my lunch almost every day last week and it stayed fresh and delicious-tasting until the final day.
Seal well in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it should stay fresh for 4 to 5 days.
What is tahini and where can I buy it?
Tahini is made from ground toasted sesame seeds and is used often in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.
You may be thinking that you've never tried tahini. But if you've ever had hummus, then you've had tahini, since the sesame seed mixture is a prime ingredient in the popular dip.
Tahini adds a boatload of flavor in just a couple of tablespoons, making it an ideal ingredient in salad dressings like the one I used for this farro salad.
Tahini can be found in most grocery stores, either in the international foods aisle or in the nut butter section.
Tips for making this farro salad:
Let's start with the farro. Place the farro, vegetable broth and water in a medium saucepan bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook until tender.
The most common type of farro sold in North America is pearled, which typically takes about 30 minutes to cook. If you're using semi-pearled or whole grain farro, the cooking time will be longer and you will need a little more liquid.
Once the farro is tender and chewy, drain off any excess liquid, then transfer the farro to a bowl to cool.
For the veggies, slice the eggplant into rounds, the zucchini into slices and the bell peppers into quarters. Lightly coat with olive oil spray, season with salt and pepper, and cook on the grill until just tender.
Chop up the veggies, whisk together the tahini dressing and toss it all together with the fresh herbs.
Other farro recipes:
Instant Pot Chicken Stew with Farro (+ stovetop instructions) {Cookin' Canuck}
Hearty Mushroom, Farro & Ginger Soup {Cookin' Canuck}
One-Pot French Onion Farro {Kitchen Treaty}
No-Fuss Garlicky Farro with Sauteed Mushrooms {Blissful Basil}
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Farro Salad with Grilled Vegetables & Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro (dry)
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups water
- 4 (½-inch thick) slices globe eggplant
- 1 medium zucchini cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 red bell pepper cored & cut into quarters
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper cored & cut into quarters
- Olive oil spray
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 5 large basil leaves thinly sliced
- 4 large mint leaves chopped
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
The dressing:
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons (or more) water
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 garlic clove
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the farro, broth and water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the farro is tender. Drain out any excess liquid. Fluff the farro and let it cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Arrange the vegetables on baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the vegetables to the grill and cook until the vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and mix into the farro, along with the basil, mint and parsley.
- Toss with the dressing. Serve.
The dressing:
- In a bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water, maple syrup and salt. Using a microplane, grate the garlic into the dressing and whisk to combine.
- For a liquid dressing, whisk in additional water. If you make the dressing ahead of time, you’ll have to whisk in more water to loosen it up again.
Notes
Nutrition
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