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.
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.
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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
- 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 for farro in this recipe.
*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.
Step 2: Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Combine the beans, shallots, parsley, and garlic.
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.
Step 4: Combine well and then stir in the arugula, farro, and hot cherry peppers.
Step 5: Serve immediately or store in the fridge and serve chilled.
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
- Let the farro cool completely before mixing it with the salad, otherwise the arugula will wilt completely.
- 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
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.
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!
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.
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More Light and Fresh Meals
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 Cannellini Beans
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.
Deana
Such a delish bean salad!! Cannot wait to make it for the beach club!
Vinny
I make this recipe weekly in the summer. It's so good to have in the fridge and snack on! Hope you enjoy!
JCP
I look forward to trying this recipe but what size are the cans of cannellini beans? 16oz? 32oz
Thanks!
Vinny and Marisa
They're 16 oz cans! Enjoy!