This Farro Salad with Basil Lemon Tahini Dressing is a delicious vegan salad that can be made ahead of time, making it perfect for busy workday lunches or potlucks.
Want a healthy salad recipe that doesn’t taste like a healthy salad? This farro salad recipe is for you!
I’d been playing around with the idea for this recipe for about a week and then I decided to just go for it.
At first, I was going to make a farro tabbouleh salad, but I thought it’d be too similar to this Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad that’s already on the blog. So, I decided to switch things up a bit.
First, I swapped out the mint and parsley for basil.
And then I got the genius idea to drizzle it with the most amazing basil & lemon tahini dressing that I used in the past to liven up some roasted broccoli.
The result was everything I’d hoped it would be.
I ate it for lunch and dinner that day, and then for breakfast the next morning. It was that good.
It’s also amazingly good for you!
Reader
Love
This was absolutely delicious. It was a great way to use up some of the excess basil in my garden. The flavors were just perfect-I love tehina and it was a nice twist adding in some basil. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
–
ez-toc
What is farro?
Farro is a grain like rice or quinoa, but it’s packed with an amazing amount of protein and fiber. It supplies you with more than 10 different vitamins and minerals and is lower in gluten than most wheat.
Farro has a hearty, chewy texture and an almost nutty flavor to it. I like to use it in casseroles, soups and salads, like this one.
You should be able to find farro easily in your grocery store near the rice.
How do you cook farro?
I like to cook my farro like I would cook pasta. Rinse the farro and then add it to a large pot of boiling, salted water and let it cook until tender, which will take about 25 minutes. Then drain. Since this is a cold salad, I also like to rinse the farro in cold running water to cut down on the cooling time.
Can you cook farro in the Instant Pot?
You can cook farro in the Instant Pot!
- Just add 1 cup of rinsed farro and 2 ½ cups water to the pot.
- Seal the lid and cook on MANUAL high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally, then drain off any excess liquid.
It will take about 15 minutes for the pressure to build in the pot, and about 10 minutes for the pressure to release, so I’ve found that it’s quicker to make farro on the stovetop, but the Instant Pot is great if you’re looking for a fuss-free option.
Regardless of which way you choose to cook your farro, the cooking time will give you plenty of time to whip up the most amazing basil & lemon tahini dressing. All you need is a blender and 5-minutes!
Dressing ingredients
- Tahini
- Basil – or another favorite herb like parsley, cilantro, dill or a combination
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Salt + Pepper
This basil & lemon tahini dressing is creamy, tangy and it has so much flavor! I look at it like a sophisticated version of ranch dressing.
You won’t only want it on this farro salad. You’ll also find yourself wanting to drizzle it on my easy roasted chicken, serve it as a dip with some zucchini fries, or basically just eat it with a spoon.
How to make farro salad
- Cook farro in boiling water for 20-25 minutes, until tender.
- Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, scallion, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
- Add the cooled farro and stir to combine. Chill, covered, for 1 hour.
- Serve drizzled with lemon-basil tahini.
Meal prep
This farro salad is perfect for meal prep! I like to layer my ingredients in a large mason jar, with the veggies on the bottom, then the farro, then the creamy tahini dressing. Then, when I’m ready to eat, I just shake it and pour it into a bowl.
More hearty salad recipes
- Thai Chicken Salad
- Kale White Bean Salad
- Southwest Chicken Salad with Pico de Gallo
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mustard and Parmesan
- Shaved Fennel and Celery Salad
- Thai Beef Salad
- Cauliflower Chickpea Salad
- Lebanese Cabbage Salad
More farro recipes
Did you Make This Farro Salad?
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Full Recipe
Farro Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Farro Salad
- 1 cup farro (rinsed and drained)
- 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1 cucumber (cut into 1/4-inch pieces)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- 3/4 cup green onions (minced, white and green parts)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Basil & Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup basil loosely packed
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Farro Salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add farro and cook for 20-25 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl stir together the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, scallion, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
- Add the cooled farro stir the salad well, and chill, covered, for 1 hour.
- The salad may be made 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Serve the salad drizzled with lemon-basil tahini.
Basil & Lemon Tahini Dressing
- In a high powered blender, combine all ingredients.
- Blend on high until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Add up to ¼ cup more water (blending again to incorporate) until you get the thickness you like. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2019. It was updated in 2022 to add new photos and information. The recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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