Look for Castelvetrano olives for this salad recipe; their buttery flesh and mild flavor will convert the most olive-averse.
Recipe information
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
2
2
1
2
½
2
2
Preparation
Step 1
Cook farro in a large wide pot over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown and toasted (it should start to smell like popcorn), about 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and pour in cold water to cover grains by 1"; throw in a generous amount of salt (a healthy handful should do it). Set pot over medium-high heat and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming surface occasionally of any foam that may rise to the top, until grains are tender but still have some bite, 25–35 minutes. Drain and transfer farro to a large bowl.
Step 2
Meanwhile, using the side of a chef’s knife, coarsely crush olives to break them up into large craggy pieces; discard pits. Place in a large bowl and add chopped lemon and shallots. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Let mixture sit 5 minutes to allow shallots to slightly pickle and flavors to meld.
Step 3
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium. Add olive mixture and cook, swirling occasionally, until ingredients are warmed through and shallots are slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Scrape vinaigrette into bowl with farro and toss to combine. Taste grain salad and season with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice if you want.
Step 4
Just before you’re ready to eat, fold herbs into salad.
Step 5
Do Ahead: Grains can be cooked 1 day ahead; let cool, then cover and chill. Salad (without herbs) can be made 6 hours ahead; cover and chill.
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Reviews (8)
Back to TopI crave this when I haven’t had it in a while. Perfect every time.
Anonymous
Naples
3/5/2021
really tasty and easy! can't wait til i have lemons (or preserved lemons as another review mentioned) to cut up, i could only use lemon juice this time. also only used mint. but it was surprisingly delicious (i wasn't sure about the combo)! nice excuse to eat a bunch of olives.
wheres_the_veg
NJ
9/3/2020
Exceptionally easy! I sometimes scale back the amount of EVOO or throw in some different herbs, feta and/or cucumber, but all around, this is a perfect midweek dinner or meal prepped lunch you can throw together super quickly.
mrbernardini
New York, NY
5/12/2020
Nah.
Anonymous
5/9/2020
So tasty!!! Will definitely make again!
katymmmmmmm
Boulder, CO, USA
5/6/2020
Absolutely delicious!! everyone loved it at home
aglaew
Paris, France
4/4/2020
Fabulous! I didn't have any fresh lemons in the house the first time I made this salad but had preserved lemons I needed to use, so substituted two smaller preserved lemons for one fresh lemon. Fantastic substitution which I am now making permanent. I've made this salad three times in two weeks (for two different dinner parties and my husband and myself) and it has received rave reviews. Indeed it was the most popular course in a lovely six-course meal a friend and I cooked this past weekend for 13 people. I am now using 1/3C oil, mixed with some spicy olive oil, instead of 1/2C; 1/2C made the salad so oily I had to drain it before serving. The "handful" of salt is also a bit much. I'd give this salad more than five stars if I could.
Gay Koenemann
Koenigswinter, Germany
12/15/2017