This summer farro salad is filled with seasonal cherries, crisp apple slices, and creamy avocado! Each bite of this fiber-filled salad is bright in flavor and absolutely delicious.
Farro is an Italian grain that is filled with fiber and perfect for adding to salads, soups, or even served a rice replacement. If you’ve never had it, this summery salad is the best way to try it!
In this big bowl of greens, you’ll find fresh summer cherries, crisp apple slices, creamy avocado, and protein-packed chickpeas. Every bite is full of bright flavor, fresh herbs, and a simple red wine vinaigrette!
I love serving this salad to compliment a dinner or eating it as a lunch. Either way you serve it up, it’s so delicious and satisfying!
Ingredients – What You Need
For this salad you’ll need 11 ingredients (not including salt & black pepper). See below for the full list!
Spinach: for the base, you can also use your favorite leafy greens!
Farro: this Italian grain is filled with fiber and protein, and is similar to barley.
Basil: use fresh basil – not dried – to add flavor!
Avocado: for creaminess.
Cherries: fresh cherries (pits removed) will add a touch of sweetness.
Apple: any type of apple works. To add a crisp texture!
Red onion: these add so much flavor, if you aren’t an onion fan you can leave them out.
Chickpeas: for protein!
Olive oil: for the base in the dressing.
Red wine vinegar: for tanginess in the vinaigrette!
Garlic powder: to flavor the dressing.
How to Make It – Recipe Instructions
First, cook the farro by boiling water with salt. Add farro to boiling water, lower heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, then strain water.
Chop all of vegetables and fruits. Remove pits from cherries.
Then add dressing ingredients to a liquid measuring cup and whisk together. Prepare salad with cooled farro, vegetables, and fruit in a large bowl and drizzle dressing over top!
Tips For Success & Recipe Variations
Additional veggies to add – this salad is super versatile, so customize it to whatever veggies or fruit you have on hand. You can also add cucumbers, bell peppers, peaches, or blueberries.
Other greens to use – instead of spinach or in addition, you can also use arugula, mixed greens, butter lettuce, or chopped Tuscan kale.
Make extra farro – I love making a generous portion of farro and then storing it in my fridge to toss in more salads, serve in soups, or serving on the side of our dinner as a grain.
How to store leftovers – this salad should keep for about 3 days for maximum freshness. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.
What to Serve it With
This farro salad is pretty delicious all by itself. But pairing it with a main course is always fitting, right? Here are some tasty meals that would go wonderfully with the flavors of this recipe.
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Lemon & Rosemary
Italian Lemon Chicken Piccata
15-Minute Asparagus Pasta
More Delicious Salads to Try
Crunchy Lentil Salad
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Watermelon Feta & Basil Salad
Tuscan Artichoke Salad
Summer Farro Salad with Cherries and Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried farro (1 cup cooked farro)
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup cherries, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 apple, sliced or chopped
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup garbanzo beans/chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup red onion, sliced
Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons Red wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook farro: bring 3 cups of water to boil with generous pinch of salt. Rinse farro under water, add to boiling water then lower to a simmer, stir occasionally. Cook for 30 minutes or until farro is cooked.
- Prepare salad: arranged salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.
- Mix vinagrette ingredients: in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together ingredients for vinaigrette and season with salt & pepper until flavor is just right.
- Strain farro: use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the cooked farro from the water. Rinse under cool water or let farro cool at room temperature before adding to the salad.
- Add dressing to salad: toss all of salad ingredients with the vinaigrette and serve!
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