Our Favorite Summer Farro Salad Recipe

Over the past few years, we’ve compiled a great list of recipes and trending food topics thanks to Peter Salerno and his love for not only creating kitchen designs, but creating in the kitchen as well!

One of our favorite recipes of the last 5 years is a simple-yet-exquisite summer salad that always leaves us full and refreshed.

This fantastic summer farro salad comes courtesy of Food & Wine (F&W) and their star chef Marco Canora.

Famous for his Tuscan-inspired dishes, Marco Canora’s experience has taken him from Gramercy Tavern in NYC to Cibreo in Florence, Italy, and back again. Canora now calls Hearth & Terroir Wine Bar in New York City home.

If you’ve never eaten farro, it’s all the rage lately in a variety of dishes. From salads to soups to meat dishes, farro is a versatile hulled wheat grain that is well-loved by savvy eaters as a great source of fiber and a “smart carbohydrate”.

This summer salad combines the hearty, nutty flavor of farro with the crunch of carrots, celery and onions and the freshness of cucumbers and tomatoes. We’re sure you’ll love it at your table as much as Peter Salerno and his family love it at theirs.

Recipe: Summer Farro Salad (courtesy Food&Wine, Marco Canora)

Ingredients

1. 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 small yellow onion, quartered
3. 1 small carrot, halved
4. 1 celery rib, halved
5. 12 ounces farro (1 3/4 cups)
6. 5 cups water
7. Kosher salt
8. 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
9. Freshly ground pepper
10. 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
11. 1 small seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
12. 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
13. 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the yellow onion, carrot and celery, cover and cook over moderately low heat until barely softened, about 5 minutes. Add the farro and stir to coat with oil. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the farro is barely tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt. Cover and simmer until the farro is al dente, about 10 minutes longer. Drain the farro and discard the onion, carrot and celery. Let cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil with the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the farro, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes and basil, season with salt and pepper and serve.