Farro Salad with Basil Lemon Tahini Dressing

This Farro Salad with Basil Lemon Tahini Dressing is a delicious 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 recipe? This 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!

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. 

My go-to brand is Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro. I’ve more and more excited to see that lots of stores now have a full-on Bob’s Red Mill section with all of their great products. Founded 40 years ago by Bob and Charlee Moore, Bob’s Red Mill is an employee-owned company that focuses on products that are non-GMO and kosher, with many of the products, like this farro, being vegan and organic. 

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 also 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!

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 roasted chicken, serve it as a dip with some zucchini fries, or basically just eat it with a spoon.

Farro Salad with Basil & Lemon Tahini Dressing

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: farro salad, salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 456 kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

This Farro Salad with Basil & Lemon Tahini Dressing is a delicious salad that can be made ahead of time, making it perfect for busy workday lunches or potlucks.

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Ingredients

Farro Salad

• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 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 minced scallions 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Add the cooled farro stir the salad well, and chill, covered, for 1 hour.
4. 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

1. In a high powered blender, combine all ingredients.
2. Blend on high until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
3. 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 Facts

Farro Salad with Basil & Lemon Tahini Dressing

Amount Per Serving

Calories 456 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 27g 42%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Sodium 817mg 34%

Potassium 529mg 15%

Total Carbohydrates 46g 15%

Dietary Fiber 10g 40%

Sugars 3g

Protein 11g 22%

Vitamin A 9.6%

Vitamin C 29.7%

Calcium 9%

Iron 18.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you loved this Farro Salad I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

I teamed up with Bob’s Red Mill to bring you this post. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Looking for more salad recipes? Be sure to try these too:

20-Minute Thai Chicken Salad

Southwest Chicken Salad with Pico de Gallo

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Mustard and Parmesan

Shaved Fennel and Celery Salad

30-Minute Thai Beef Salad