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    Home » Recipes » Summer Recipes

    Summer Farro Salad with Cannellini Beans

    Published: Mar 16, 2024 · Modified: Jul 24, 2024 by Vinny · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    One of my low-key favorite weekly staples is this Summer Farro Salad. It's so quick to make, it's filling, it's light, and delicious, making it perfect for when it gets warm out.

    Serve it alongside your favorite grilled recipes like Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops or Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs.

    farro summer salad with cannellini beans

    If you love this fresh salad, you may also enjoy Italian Pasta Salad, White Bean Lentil Soup, Grilled Shrimp Salad with Mango Lime Dressing, or EASY Ricotta Bruschetta.

    Jump to:
    • The Simplest Salad
    • Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
    • How to make a Summer Farro Salad
    • Pro-Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • What to Serve with this Summer Salad
    • Video Recipe
    • More Light and Fresh Meals
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Reviews

    The Simplest Salad

    This Italian white bean salad with farro and arugula is so easy to make. If you buy precooked farro, you can be done with this meal in less than 15 minutes.

    I love this Mediterranean salad because it is quick to make and I can store it in the fridge for a few days. It can be served for lunch, it can be a side dish for dinner, and my son will actually eat it. It reminds me of a summer version of Italian Lentils but cold!

    You can make summer farro salad weekly as a way to fill in those holes during mealtime when you're looking for a side or something to add to the meal. If you're looking for a similar make ahead salad, try our Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad or Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad! These all go great with dishes like Chicken Spiedini or Italian Fried Green Tomatoes.

    Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

    ingredients for salad with cannellini beans.
    • Cannellini Beans. I prefer the texture of cannellini beans over any other bean. They just have that slightly crunchier texture. The shell of the bean is just slightly tougher and makes it perfect for a salad like this because the beans won't become mush.
    • Hot Cherry Peppers. I love hot cherry peppers in oil. If you don't like hot, you can just leave this ingredient out completely. It's not a spicy dish, but it does have a little bit of that zing. You could also substitute calabrian chili peppers if you have.
    • Farro. Farro is such an underutilized grain. I loved adding it to this salad because its texture isn't quite like a rice. It absorbs a lot of the flavor from the marinade, so it's perfect. You could also substitute quinoa or orzo in this recipe. It's similar to our Orzo and Garbanzo Bean Salad.

    *Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.

    How to make a Summer Farro Salad

    Step 1: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt. Add the farro to the pot and lower the heat to medium-high. Leave the water at a rolling boil for 30 minutes. Drain the farro and store in the fridge to cool.

    cannellini beans, shallots, garlic, and parsley combined.

    Step 2: Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Combine the beans, shallots, parsley, and garlic.

    roasted red pepper and artichoke hearts combined.

    Step 3: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add the roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and oil mixture to the large bowl.

    Cooked farro and cooled.

    Step 4: Combine well and then stir in the arugula, farro, and hot cherry peppers.

    arugula added to the salad.

    Step 5: Serve immediately or store in the fridge and serve chilled.

    Italian Bean salad in a bowl.

    I love to make this in the summer to serve with our Bacon Blue Cheese Burgers or Easy Italian Fried Green Tomatoes! It's a flavorful and easy salad to add to any meal.

    Pro-Tips

    1. Let the farro cool completely before mixing it with the salad, otherwise the arugula will wilt completely.
    2. If not serving immediately, I like to add a little olive oil when I remove the dish from the refrigerator. The beans will absorb some oil, so it'll be good to add a little extra.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is farro?

    Farro is just a grain like rice or quinoa. It is a little higher in protein and it has a chewy and dense texture. It is commonly used in Mediterranean diets in different soup and salad recipes.

    How to store a summer farro salad?

    Cover in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The salad will continue to marinate as it sits in its own juices and will taste even better day 2!

    Can you eat farro cold?

    Yes! Unlike rice, farro is delicious cold. It will absorb the flavors from the marinade and taste even better when served chilled.

    What to Serve with this Summer Salad

    • Serve it alongside one of our delicious burgers like the Goat Cheese Burger with Fig Jam or Greek Chicken Burger.
    • Try it with another one of our delicious appetizers like Baked Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, Eggplant Caponatini (Caponata), Spinach and Artichoke Dip No Mayo, or Air Fryer Garlic Parm Wings.
    • If you'd rather not grill, try it with chicken or shrimp in our Creamy Lemon Sauce.
    farro summer salad  in a bowl.

    Video Recipe

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    Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.

    📖 Recipe

    summer farro salad with Italian white beans

    Summer Farro Salad with Cannellini Beans

    Vincent DelGiudice
    A light and fresh bean salad with farro and arugula brightened up with lemon and cherry peppers. This summer farro salad is great to put out on the table when serving a group in the summer.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 292 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 small pot
    • 1 large bowl
    • 1 Small bowl

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cans cannellini beans
    • ½ cup farro
    • ¼ cup parsley, chopped
    • 1 shallot, minced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ cup roasted red pepper, chopped
    • ½ cup artichoke hearts, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon hot cherry peppers
    • 2 handfuls arugula
    • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt. Add the farro to the pot and lower the heat to medium high. Leave the water at rolling boil for 30 minutes. Drain the farro and store in the fridge to cool.
    • Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Combine the beans, shallots, parsley, and garlic.
    • In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt.
    • Add the roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and oil mixture to the large bowl. Combine well and then stir in the arugula, farro, and hot cherry peppers.
    • Serve immediately or store in the fridge and serve chilled.

    Notes

    1. You can substitute white northern beans for cannellini beans. 
    2. If you don't want it to be spicy at all, leave out the cherry peppers.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 11gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 1255mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 11gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 434IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?We'd love for you to Leave a Review!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deana

      April 08, 2025 at 1:42 am

      5 stars
      Such a delish bean salad!! Cannot wait to make it for the beach club!

      Reply
    2. Vinny

      May 26, 2024 at 1:31 am

      5 stars
      I make this recipe weekly in the summer. It's so good to have in the fridge and snack on! Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
    3. JCP

      May 24, 2024 at 8:13 pm

      I look forward to trying this recipe but what size are the cans of cannellini beans? 16oz? 32oz
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Vinny and Marisa

        May 25, 2024 at 12:29 am

        They're 16 oz cans! Enjoy!

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes

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    Vinny DelGiudice, MS CCC-SLP

    My name is Vinny. I am an Italian-American home cook, a photographer, and previously, a speech pathologist specializing in swallowing and voice disorders. I share the recipes I grew up eating in my home and the recipes that I cook for my family. Always From Scratch is about cooking homemade meals and eating with family.

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