Mediterranean Farro Salad is a mound of satisfying deliciousness. It’s a combination of wilted garlic Swiss chard, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, farro, tossed in a light dressing.
If it isn’t already, Farro should be on your shopping list. Farro is a grain, very high in protein and has more fiber than rice and quinoa. It also has properties that can help lower cholesterol and strengthen the immune system. If you suffer from a chronic disease that affects the immune system, it is worth including farro to your diet. Moreover, a strong immune system keeps colds and infections at bay.
Mediterranean Farro Salad is a combination of ingredients with a variety of textures, which means it promotes slow steady eating, You will find that it will satiate your hunger in no time.
I had some of my Mediterranean Farro Salad with a large pork chop. It was an extremely hearty meal, but I got through it. It was indeed very satisfying.
You can serve this dish with almost anything. It’s great as a side dish, as part of a buffet. If you have kids who enjoy healthy eating, this one should go down a treat. However, kids who are averse to a pile of veggies and grains can be fooled, just add some chunks of meat, they should go for it.
I used easy cook farro, I believe it’s referred to as pearled farro. I bought a small packet from WholeFoods. It cooks in 10 minutes. There are other types of farro, whole and semi-pearled and both varieties require soaking. If you’re new to farro, I suggest you read the cooking instructions before you buy.
This Mediterranean Farro Salad serves four, so if there’s two of you, you’ll have leftovers for lunch. This dish makes for a great lunch, and is still tasty a day later.
Mediterranean Farro Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked farro
- Bunch Swiss chard
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup carrots julienned fine
- 1 cup cucumber julienned fine
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup pitted green olives
Salad Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Pinch salt
Equipment & Utensils
- Large saute pan
- Large bowl
Instructions
- Cook farro as directed on the packaging.
- Rinse Swiss chard, trim away any bruised parts, then slice into 1 inch strips, you should include the stems too.
- Heat oil in saute pan, then add garlic, saute for a few seconds then add the stems of the Swiss chard.
- Cook Swiss chard stems for approx. one minute before adding the leaves.
- Add a pinch of salt and cook Swiss chard until wilted, then remove from heat and set aside.
- Tip 4 cups of cooked farro into a large bowl.
- Add carrots, cucumber, tomatoes and olives and toss to mix thoroughly.
- When you are ready to serve drizzle with a little salad dressing.
Salad Dressing
- Whisk together salad dressing ingredients then drizzle over salad.
