Farro Salad: the summer recipe with green beans, cherry tomatoes, and hard-boiled eggs
When temperatures rise, the desire for hot and complex dishes disappears, leaving space for the search for fresh, complete, and quick recipes.
This is where the farro salad comes into play, a true wild card of summer cuisine!
It’s not just a side dish, but a nutritious main course that encapsulates the rustic flavor of farro, the crunchiness of green beans, the juiciness of cherry tomatoes, the savoriness of green olives, and the texture of hard-boiled eggs.
A perfect mix of flavors and textures that will make you feel like you’re on vacation with every spoonful.
Farro, with its nutty flavor and unique texture, is a great alternative to classic cold pasta or rice.
It’s an ancient grain, rich in fiber and protein, that serves magnificently as the base for dishes like this.
Its preparation is very simple, and once ready, it is combined with the other ingredients, absorbing all the flavors of the dressing.
This salad is ideal for an office lunch, a day trip, or a picnic with friends, as it can be prepared in advance and, in fact, is even better the next day!
It’s a recipe that doesn’t require turning on the oven and allows you to enjoy the beautiful season without stress in the kitchen.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 173.80 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 26.97 (g) of which sugars 6.78 (g)
- Proteins 7.75 (g)
- Fat 5.26 (g) of which saturated 1.09 (g)of which unsaturated 3.00 (g)
- Fibers 5.68 (g)
- Sodium 421.36 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients FARRO SALAD
- 1 cup pearled farro
- 7 oz green beans
- 2 eggs
- 5 oz cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
- 1.75 oz green olives
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- oregano (optional)
- A few leaves basil
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Pot
- Salad Bowl
- Small Bowl
Recipe Farro Salad with Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Eggs
Rinse the farro under running water. In a pot, bring plenty of salted water to a boil and cook the farro for the time indicated on the package (usually 20-30 minutes for pearled farro). In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the green beans, already trimmed and washed, directly into the same pot.
While the farro is cooking, boil the eggs in another pot for 8 minutes. Peel and cut them into wedges once cooled.
Drain the farro and green beans and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half or into wedges and roughly chop the green olives. In a large bowl, combine the farro, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and olives.
Add the hard-boiled egg wedges. Dress everything with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of oregano. Mix well and serve.
NOTES ON INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Farro: Pearled farro is ideal for this recipe because it doesn’t require soaking. If you use hulled farro, remember to soak it for at least 12 hours before cooking.
Olives: Pitted green olives add a touch of savoriness. You can replace them with Taggiasca or black olives if you prefer.
Oregano: Oregano is a classic touch that gives a Mediterranean scent. If you don’t like it, you can replace it with fresh basil or chopped parsley.
Storage
This farro salad is perfect for preparing in advance. It keeps in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 2-3 days. In fact, the flavors tend to blend even better over time.
Alternatives and Variations
With cheese: For a richer version, add cubes of mozzarella, feta, or shavings of Grana Padano.
Light version: For an even lighter version, you can add grilled chicken cubes or well-drained canned tuna.
With a crunchy touch: Add toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Usage and Pairings
Farro salad is an ideal main course for lunch. It’s perfect to take to the office or for an outdoor picnic. It pairs well with a glass of fresh and light white wine.
Origins and History of the Recipe
Farro is one of the oldest grains cultivated in Italy, with a history dating back to Roman times. The habit of consuming it in a salad, cold and with seasonal ingredients, is a more modern evolution that perfectly matches the philosophy of healthy and practical cooking. This recipe, in particular, is a tribute to the simplicity and freshness of peasant dishes.
FAQs (Questions and Answers)
1. Can I use other grains instead of farro?
Yes, you can use other grains like pearled barley, black rice, or basmati rice, following their respective cooking times.
2. Can I prepare the salad a day in advance?
Absolutely! In fact, preparing it in advance allows all the flavors to blend perfectly, making the dish even tastier.
3. Do the eggs have to be hard-boiled?
Yes, hard-boiled eggs are ideal because their firm texture pairs well with the rest of the ingredients without falling apart.
