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close up of farro salad in bowl with lemon

Farro Salad with Pesto and Vegetables

Ana Coronado
June 9, 2025
This fresh and satisfying Farro Salad with Pesto and Vegetables recipe is on repeat in our house. This high-fiber and protein-packed vegetarian salad is the perfect meal prep, quick lunches, side dish, or snack.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine Healthy, Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 8
Calories 223 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 extra large bowl
  • 1 pot 2 quart

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Farro, uncooked pearled this yields about 3 cups of cooked farro
  • 2 cups Vegetable broth
  • 2 cups Arugula or baby spinach
  • 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved fresh
  • 1 cup Artichoke hearts quartered
  • 1 small Zucchini diced + cooked
  • 1 cup Mozzarella balls omit for dairy-free
  • 1 cup Roasted bell peppers chopped
  • 1/4 cup Basil pesto homemade pesto or store-bought pesto
  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese grated fresh
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground

Instructions
 

  • Using a non-stick pan, add one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Over medium heat, toast the farro for 5 minutes. Continue stirring until it smells nutty. The color won't change too much, but you can smell the Farro come to life.
  • Once the farro is toasted, remove it from the hot pan and allow it to cool completely.
  • Dice the zucchini.
  • Using the same pan, sauté the zucchini in 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil for 3-4 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. You can also use raw zucchini in this salad.
  • In a 2-quart pot, heat 1 1/2 quarts of broth to a simmer.
  • Once the farro is completely cooled from toasting it, add it to the simmering broth and simmer for 15-18 minutes until tender.
  • Drain the farro of any excess broth.  Allow to cool.
  • Add the cooked, cooled farro to a large bowl.
  • Add tomatoes, artichoke hearts, zucchini, mozzarella balls, and roasted bell peppers. Add 1/4 cup of basil pesto.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and toss gently.
  • Squeeze half the juice of the lemon into the salad.
  • Add salt, pepper and grated Parmesan cheese and toss gently.
  • Adjust pesto, salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Notes

Tried and true tips

  • Toast farro for this salad to maximize the nutty flavor. The farro will cook al dente and maintain its shape. 
  • Remove the farro from the cooking pan as soon as it's cooked. Place it in a large bowl while it cools. This will prevent the farro from overcooking and becoming soggy. 
  • Farro is not gluten-free, but cooked brown rice is an excellent substitute if you are looking for a completely gluten-free recipe. 
  • Feel free to adjust the vegetable quantities as you prefer. This is a fully customizable salad!
  • Toss spinach or arugula upon serving. If you make this salad for meal prep, add the greens on top of the farro salad so they don't get soggy, or add them upon serving.  
  • Substitute basil pesto for other types of pesto, like  Kale pistachio pesto or my Cilantro pesto. 
  • Use store-bought pesto to make this recipe easier to assemble.
  • Add chopped grilled, roasted, or rotisserie chicken for added protein. Grilled shrimp also works well with this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 1045mgPotassium: 263mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1070IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.

Keyword easy farro salad, farro salad for meal prep, healthy farro salad, summer farro salad, vegetarian farro salad

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