Farro Salad with Shrimp: Freshness and Flavor in a Single Dish
Who said that eating well and light means sacrificing taste?
Get ready to revolutionize your lunches and dinners with the Farro Salad with Shrimp, a true ode to freshness and Mediterranean flavors!
This recipe is my go-to for hot days when the desire to cook is minimal but the craving for a satisfying and nourishing dish is at its peak. Forget long preparations and hard-to-find ingredients: here you’ll find a concentrate of goodness, simplicity, and wellness.
The star is the farro, an ancient and versatile grain, which with its firm texture and delicate flavor pairs divinely with the sweetness of shrimp and the freshness of cherry tomatoes.
Completing the picture are the crunchiness of chickpeas, the bitterness of arugula, and a simple yet aromatic dressing with extra virgin olive oil, parsley, and lemon zest.
It’s a complete and balanced single dish, perfect for a quick office lunch, a picnic in the park, or a summer dinner with friends.
I will guide you step by step to create a salad that not only nourishes the body but also the soul, giving you a burst of taste that speaks of the sea and the sun.
Get ready to bring to the table the freshness that will make you fall in love at first bite!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 186.33 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 25.00 (g) of which sugars 5.81 (g)
- Proteins 12.92 (g)
- Fat 4.15 (g) of which saturated 0.33 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 4.65 (g)
- Sodium 176.30 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 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 WITH SHRIMP
- 7 oz pearled farro
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas (already boiled or canned)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
- 2 oz arugula
- 7 oz shrimp tails (or fresh or frozen small shrimp)
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- to taste lemon zest
- to taste salt
Tools
- Food Scale
- Pot
- Colander
- Small pot
- Small bowl
- Bowl
PROCEDURE FARRO SALAD WITH SHRIMP AND CHICKPEAS
First, rinse the pearled farro under running water. You can cook it in several ways, choose the one most convenient for you:
1 – In a saucepan: Cover the farro with cold water, bring to a boil and cook for about 25-30 minutes from boiling.
2 – In a steamer: Place it in the basket and steam at 250°F for about 40 minutes.
3 – In a pressure cooker: Cover with water, close the lid and cook for 15 minutes from the whistle.
4 – Classic boiling: Bring water to a boil, add the farro and cook for about 35-40 minutes.
Once cooked, drain well, transfer to a bowl, and let it cool completely.While the farro cools, prepare the shrimp. If fresh, peel the tails, cut along the back with a small knife, and gently remove the intestinal vein with a toothpick. Cook the shrimp in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes (they should turn pink and opaque), then drain and let them cool.
In a small bowl, prepare the dressing for the shrimp: combine extra virgin olive oil, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and salt. Pour this dressing over the cooled shrimp and gently mix to flavor them.Now you can assemble your salad! In the bowl with the cooled farro, add the cooked chickpeas (if canned, rinse and drain well), the washed and chopped tomatoes, and the washed and dried arugula.
Finally, incorporate the already seasoned shrimp into the bowl with the farro and vegetables. Dress everything with another tablespoon of raw extra virgin olive oil. Taste and, if necessary, adjust the salt. Gently mix to combine all the ingredients and flavors. Serve the fresh and tasty farro salad with shrimp!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
FARRO Pearled farro is ideal for its quick cooking, but you can also use husked farro (it requires soaking and longer cooking to be tender).
SHRIMP For the shrimp, fresh or frozen tails work great; if you use smaller shrimp, there’s no need to cut them.
CHICKPEAS Chickpeas can be cooked from dry or the precooked canned ones (always remember to rinse them very well).
TOMATOES Cherry or grape tomatoes are perfect for sweetness, but you can also use other types cut into cubes.
ARUGULA Arugula adds a bitter and spicy touch; you can substitute it with baby spinach or lamb’s lettuce for a milder flavor.
LEMON The lemon is essential to enhance the sea flavors; don’t skimp on the zest, as long as it’s organic.
STORAGE
The farro salad with shrimp is delicious freshly made, but it keeps well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 1-2 days. It’s a great meal prep solution: you can make it the night before and take it with you for a healthy and tasty lunch. I recommend adding the arugula right before serving, to keep it crisp and fresh.
Recipe Alternatives and Variants
This salad is a true kitchen chameleon:
1 – Vegetarian Version: You can omit the shrimp and increase the amount of chickpeas, or add other legumes like borlotti beans (an extra 3.5 oz). For a flavorful touch, try 3.5 oz of feta cubes or 1.75 oz of Taggiasca olives.
2 – With Seasonal Vegetables: Add grilled diced zucchini (2.8 oz), julienned colorful bell peppers (2.8 oz), or cucumber slices (2.8 oz) to enrich the taste and texture.
3 – Exotic Touch: For a different note, try adding 1 teaspoon of curry powder to the dressing, or 3.5 oz of mango cubes for a sweet and sour variant.
4 – With Fresh Cheese: Add 3.5 oz of mozzarella balls or ricotta salata shavings for a creamier taste and extra protein.
5 – Extra Flavors: If you love bold flavors, add a pinch of garlic powder or 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the dressing.
Use and Pairings
The Farro Salad with Shrimp is the ideal single dish for a light and complete lunch, perfect for hot days. It’s also great as a summer dinner when you don’t feel like heavy dishes, or as a proposal for a cold buffet or a picnic.
Its freshness and lightness make it versatile. It pairs magnificently with a glass of dry and chilled white wine, like a Vermentino from Liguria (yes, I’m biased!) or a Greco di Tufo. If you prefer, a cucumber and mint flavored water, or a light and clear beer, will complete the meal perfectly.
Origins and History of the Recipe
This farro salad is a perfect example of how modern cuisine re-elaborates ancient ingredients to meet the needs for lightness and practicality. Farro, a noble and ancient grain, was already cultivated and appreciated by the Romans, and today it has returned to our tables for its nutritional properties and versatility.
The idea of combining grains with legumes (like chickpeas) and sea proteins (shrimp) is a typical concept of the Mediterranean diet, recognized worldwide for its health benefits. Cold salads have always been a staple of summer cooking, allowing us to enjoy complete and refreshing dishes. This specific combination is a more recent creation, inspired by the “bowl food” trends and the search for single dishes that are at the same time balanced, tasty, and quick to prepare. It doesn’t have an ancient history, but it proves that cuisine is an ever-evolving art, capable of reinventing itself and always offering us new and delicious surprises.
A Smile in Every Forkful!
Cooking should always be a pleasure, not a chore! This salad is designed to give you a moment of joy, with very little effort. Imagine: the scent of the sea wrapping around you, the freshness of the ingredients recharging you… You just have to try it! And if you have a secret ingredient to add, let me know in the comments: cooking is beautiful because it’s shared!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
1. Can I use frozen shrimp?
Absolutely yes! They are a practical and quick solution. Just make sure to completely thaw them before cooking and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess water.
2. How long can I store the ready salad?
You can store it in the fridge, well sealed in an airtight container, for 1-2 days. It’s perfect to prepare in advance for the next day’s lunch.
3. Can I enrich the salad with other vegetables?
Of course! This salad is very versatile. You can add grilled diced zucchini, roasted peppers, sweet corn, or even black olives for an even more Mediterranean flavor.
