Cherry Farro Salad is an easy farro side dish that comes together with 7 ingredients and is filled with some of my summer favorites – cherries and basil!  

I love making this farro salad for a variety of uses over the course of a week. I like to make a big batch and use for 2 nights and/or to add to lunch salads. It would also be another great dish to make or bring to a backyard barbecue.

My children go in and out of phases of enjoying this salad but Chris and I love it so I wanted to share! I only serve it one night for them and use the leftovers for us.  We all love cherries which is great because they have so many health benefits.  If you love cherries as well you can check out their health benefits and some of my other favorite cherry recipes and ideas here!  I love incorporating a variety of grains into my diet and I hope this adds some variety for you.  Check out some fun farro facts:

• Farro is an ancient grain that has been around for thousands of years. 
• It is a great alternative to refined white grains because it is full of fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 
• It provides a healthy dose of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B3 (niacin), all of which play important roles in your body.

Adaptations for Cherry Farro Salad

Nuts – I have used pistachios and almonds, but walnuts, hazelnuts or cashews would all work!

Vinegar – It works with red or white wine vinegar as well

Basil – Mint that would also work well

Cherries – they are one of the main parts of the dish, but you could defrost and strain frozen cherries or use raspberries if they are easier to find

Add cheese – goat or feta would be great

Cherry Farro Salad

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooling Time: 30 minutes

Course:Brunch, Salad, Side Dish

Keyword:Cherries, Dairy Free, Easy Recipe, lunch inspiration, Salad, Side dish, Summer

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup uncooked farro
• ▢ 1/4 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp extra for cooking farro
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 2/3 cup pitted and quartered cherries
• ▢ 1/3 cup pistachios or toasted sliced almonds
• ▢ 1/4 cup chopped shredded basil
• ▢ Goat Cheese crumbles - optional addition

Instructions

• Cook farro according to package directions in salted water (1/2 tsp)
• Let cool 30 minutes
• Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk to combine
• Add in farro and mix with a large spoon to throughly combine
• Fold in cherries and basil
• Add nuts when you are ready to serve (this can be made up 1 day before)

Notes

Note: I like to make a big batch of this and use for 2 nights and/or to add to lunch salads. The sliced almonds get soggy after a day, but the pistachios hold up better over a few days. You could also just add the nuts to the portion you are using.

Did you make this recipe?I would love to see your creations! Snap a picture and tag @kristanwatson or #foodplaygo on Social Media!