Summer farro salad with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella
A summer farro salad with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, olives and basil: a fresh, light one-dish meal you can make ahead, perfect for lunches, the beach and picnics.
Are you looking for a summer farro salad that works as a full, flavorful meal, not just a side thrown together at the last minute?
Then this recipe is for you. I’ll show you how to make a farro salad with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, olives and basil: fresh, colorful and light, perfect to take to work, the beach or a picnic. Farro has a pleasantly firm bite that holds up even after a few hours in the fridge, which makes it a genuinely convenient one-dish meal to plan ahead.
The beauty of this salad is that it comes together in a single bowl, yet it has at least three real advantages: you can make it calmly ahead, it is vegetarian and family friendly, and you can adapt it with whatever you have at home. The key is to cool the farro right away under cold water and toss it with a little oil, so the grains stay loose and do not clump together.
One trick that makes the difference: drain the mozzarella well before adding it, otherwise it releases water and soaks the farro. If you like, enrich it with tuna, feta, seasonal vegetables or a little corn to change the version without losing the spirit of the recipe.
Keep it covered in the fridge for up to two days, adding the basil only at the end so it does not darken. Take it out a few minutes before serving, so the flavors come back to life.
Ready? Let’s make the farro salad.
Steps
- Cook the farro in plenty of salted water for about 20 minutes (check the times on the package), then drain it and cool it under cold running water. Toss it with a little oil so it does not stick.
- Halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes and dice the mozzarella, draining it well.
- In a large bowl combine the farro, cherry tomatoes, olives and mozzarella.
- Season with oil, salt, pepper and the basil torn by hand, then toss gently.
- Let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving, so the flavors come together.
Helpful tips
Cool the farro right after cooking: it stays loose and does not turn pasty.
Add the well-drained mozzarella at the last moment, so the salad does not release water.
Enrich it with tuna, feta, vegetables or corn to taste.
It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days: great to take to work, the beach or a picnic.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 58.0 g
- Sugars
- 5.0 g
- Protein
- 16.0 g
- Fat
- 14.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 5.0 g
- Fiber
- 7.0 g
- Sodium
- 380 mg
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