This Italian vegetable & farro salad has it all. It is loaded with flavorful veggies like roasted peppers, cauliflower, artichoke hearts and olives. Plus it has a super tangy roasted pepper blender dressing that is laced with oregano. This summery vegan salad is the best filling yet light meal for a hot evening. The hardy nature of lacinato kale makes it perfect for the base of this salad. It holds up to the dressing which makes this recipe great for meal prep or making the salad ahead of time to bring to the beach or on a picnic.
What makes this the best farro and vegetable salad
There is so much to love about this Italian farro and vegetable salad. I call this an Italian salad because it contains many things you would find in a vegetable antipasto. All the delicious roasted and marinated vegetables combines with farro will transport you to the Mediterranean. The Italian vegetables included in this salad recipe are artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and olives. Plus roasted cauliflower and cavelo nero drenched in a delicious oregano laced red wine vinaigrette is Mama Mia, chef's kiss.
What is farro?
Farro is a staple whole grain from Italy. This grain is versatile and mild in flavor. It can be used in soups, salads, and even in risotto. I love it best in recipes like this Italian vegetable & farro salad. It really is a great vehicle for dressings and sauces and it doesn't swell up like pasta can. Farro has a chewy texture with more integrity than rice or quinoa. It is higher in fiber, protein and iron than many grains which makes it an ideal addition to a vegan or omnivorous diet. When adding farro to salad like this one, it can transform it into a meal! It is hearty and filling without feeling heavy.
Ingredients for Italian Farro & Vegetable Salad
Although I call this a summer salad, all of the ingredients are available year round. Of course, the salad will be fresher and more flavorful if you use garden fresh produce like cherry tomatoes, kale and cucumbers. But it will still be delicious and give you some of the sunshine you are craving if you make it any other season! I like to use baby bell peppers because I think they are the sweetest and tastiest. you can substitute regular bell peppers if you like. I would count 1 large red bell pepper the same as 4-5 baby bell peppers. So for this recipe you could use 3 large and colorful bells instead. If lacinato/dinosaur kale is not available you can substitute regular kale.
- Kale-The base of this vegetable salad is Lacinato or Dinosaur kale. This type of kale has dark leaves that are bumpy and resemble "dinosaur skin". It is more tender than curly kale which makes removing the ribs an unnecessary step. If laminate kale is not available, use curly kale or Russian red kale. Both taste delicious but be sure to remove the tough stems.
- Farro-The body of this hearty salad is made with Italian farro. Farro has a great chewy texture that is filling and hardy.
- Italian vegetables- I are up eating Italian antipasto salads in Massachusetts. Included in these salads are artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, olives, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. These veggies give off a vibe that is typical of a marinated vegetable platter or antipasti.
- Roasted Cauliflower- We increase the nutrition and fiber in this dish by adding roasted cauliflower. Cruciferous veggies are so filling and healthy. And cauliflower is versatile and easy to make taste delicious.
- Dressing Ingredients: This dressing is made by blending red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, pure maple syrup, salt, pepper and roasted bell peppers. It is really delicious and full of bold flavors.
How to make Italian Vegetable Farro Salad
This recipe is really easy to make. The trickiest part is cooking the farro but as long as you follow the box directions, it simple and foolproof. Use one sheet pan to roast the veggies and while those are cooking, chop the other ingredients.
- Cook the Farro- Follow the directions on the box and once cooked, allow to cool.
- Roast the vegetables-On a sheet pan spread cauliflower florets, halved baby bell peppers and whole baby bell peppers. Spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and pepper. Mix until well coated and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool.
- Make the dressing- In a blender add the roasted whole baby peppers (remove stems) red wine vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, salt and oregano. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Toss the salad-In a large bowl, add kale, cooled farro, roasted baby bells (cut small) roasted cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, artichoke hearts and olives. Pour dressing over the salad and mix well.
Tips for making the best salad
Since salad is my forte, I have so many tips!
- First, always select the freshest and most colorful produce for salads. Save the wilted and sad produce for soups!
- Always use a sharp knife! Cutting with a sharp knife is actually safer, more efficient and more fun than using a dull knife. Plus a sharp knife makes it easy to cut interesting shapes and variety for both the texture and esthetic of your dish.
- Make sure that you drain your produce well. Sometimes it is even necessary to pat them down before adding to a salad. This is because water is the enemy of flavor and will dilute the dressing over time as the salad sits.
More delicious Mediterranean vegan salads
Italian Vegetable Farro Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried farro
Roasted Veggie Ingredients
- ½ head cauliflower cut in florets
- 10 baby bell peppers halved
- 5 baby bell peppers whole
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- fresh black pepper Few grinds
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp oregano
Salad Ingredients
- ½ head dinosaur kale shredded
- 20 cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ English cucumber cut in rounds
- ½ cup calamata and green olives pitted and sliced
- ½ cup artichoke hearts cut small
Instructions
- Cook Farro according to box directions then let cool
- Preheat oven to 400
- On a sheet pan spread cauliflower florets, halved baby bell peppers and whole baby bell peppers. Spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and pepper. Mix until well coated and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool.
- Make the dressing in a blender with the roasted whole baby peppers (remove stems) red wine vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, salt and oregano. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, add kale, cooled farro, roasted baby bells (cut small) roasted cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, artichoke hearts and olives. Pour dressing over the salad and mix well.
Amy
I found you through Instagram. I struggle with eating veggies and need tasty recipes. This was my first BFG recipe that I tried. It was delicious!! My husband enjoyed it too. I’m looking forward to trying another recipe. Thank you!!
Sara Tercero
Thanks for the feedback! I am so happy you liked it!
Sheela
Why do you halve some of the baby bell peppers and some whole for roasting?
Sara Tercero
Good question! The ones that get blended I leave whole. It's just a small time hack. Not necessary tho!
Cathy
Just made this and am devouring it as I type - absolutely delicious! I can't wait to try more of your recipes.
Sara Tercero
Thanks for the feedback Cathy! I love this one too. I really appreciate the 5 star review!
Dani
I love all your recipes and have made several now! This might be a silly question but for this one it said 8oz of farro. Is that cooked or measuring before cooked? THANK YOU!
Sara Tercero
Hi Dani it is 8 oz of uncooked farro. Not a silly question at all. Hope you like it!
Dani
Thank you so much for your reply. As soon as I hit send I realized that you had my question answered in your original recipe! I wanted to come back to comment on how amazingly delicious this recipe was. Since I’m a single person it made a ton so I shared with non plant based peeps at my office. They asked for seconds! I will be making this over and over again. In fact I used the dressing recipe for something else today! Thank you for always sharing your bomb recipes with the world ❤️❤️❤️
Sara Tercero
What a beautiful message! So very happy you loved it and I love that your non-plant-based friends liked it too! Thank you for making my job so wonderfully fulfilling.
Laura Rosa
Hi,
I LOVE YOUR RECIPES!!!!!! I AM INSPIRED. Your cookbook is on my holiday gift wish list.
My question is about gluten free and GMO products. My "gut" no pun intended, tells me to steer clear of these. How do you handle these two issues with your cooking? I live on Long Island so I feel like I would be able to readily find many GMO and gluten free option, but going organic can be very expensive. I'd love to know your thoughts Better Food Guru!!
Sara Tercero
Hi Laura! I generally steer clear of GMO things but as I have no issues with gluten, I often include gluten in my diet. If you want to do gluten free, I do like many of the gluten free pastas out there. Banza, Trader Joes and even Barilla have some great substitutes. Gluten free breads are a bit more difficult. Anytime in my life that I have cut out gluten (for weight loss purposes temporarily) I find I prefer to just not eat the bread sadly. There has to be some good ones out there but since it has not been a priority for me since I have no issues, I have not found them.
Nicky
This was my first recipe from your library. Fairly easy to follow and so delicious. I’m trying to get my mother to eat more veggies and thanks to you I have found my solution!
Please keep these coming! Big fan! XO
Liz
Beautiful and delicious salad. Loved all the mix of textures and flavors.
Sara Tercero
So happy to hear this! Thank you
Sara Tercero
Wonderful, I certainly will!
Jordan
We had this for dinner last night and leftovers for lunches today at work. Super delicious and filling without weighing me down while working. It is pleasing to the taste buds and eyes! I especially loved the dressing, the roasted peppers gave it so much flavor!
Jan
Fantastic! I'm looking forward to my lunches this week.
Toni
Hands down the best salad I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for sharing.
Sara Tercero
That is a wonderful recommendation thank you so much for the feedback! So happy you enjoyed it!
Sherrie
Amazing combinations in this satisfying salad!! Had charcuterie board leftovers to get rid of and this was super amazing!! I didn’t have the small peppers so I used regular size and it was fabulous. The dressing is just the perfect blend! This will be in my weekly rotation!! Thanks!!
Sara Tercero
That's wonderful! Thanks for the feedback and rating!
Sara Tercero
Great news! Thanks for the feedback
Sara Tercero
Wow so happy you liked it! I love this dressing too, so much flavor. Thanks for the feedback!
Sarah
Ok, I like all these ingredients, and originally found the cauliflower and artichoke combo a bit odd, especially with cold tomatoes and cucumber. But Sarah, your videos and photos are compelling!! I made it as written, it was sooo delicious! The dressing is light and flavorful. Will definitely make this a keeper!
Sara Tercero
Thank you for trusting me! I am really happy you liked it, thanks for the feedback.
margaret
help me with the artichokes...fresh? canned?
Sara Tercero
Use canned or jarred!
Valerie Milam
This is my new favorite salad! So yummy I want to make this all the time now.
Sara Tercero
So happy you liked it! and thanks for the feedback
Colleen
I’m trying to add more vegetables to my diet and this salad was loaded with them! The dressing was delicious too…I wish I had doubled the dressing for leftovers!
Sara Tercero
Thank you Colleen! I appreciate your feedback and 5 stars
Kat Hone
LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it three times, and it’s always a hit!
I am planning to take it to a party soon where the host is gluten free. What substitution do you recommend for the farro? Thanks in advance!
Sara Tercero
Hi Kat! I think Quinoa or Brown Rice would be really good in this recipe, or you can use a gluten free pasta like chickpea or lentil pasta and it would keep with the "Italian" theme.
Susan
I just made this salad and loved it! So did my husband. I’m so glad we have leftovers for tomorrow! I think I’ll add some fresh basil and parsley to the leftovers.
Sara Tercero
Amazing! Fresh herbs are a great addition, especially to freshen it up on second day. Thanks for the 5 stars!
Shany Ledbetter
I absolutely love your recipes! This one in particular. I try to make a new one every week just to try something different. I have not been disappointed with a single one. Since I have become WFPB I would sometimes fall into a slump and make the same things over and over. Your recipes help me get a variety of different tastes into our meals!
Thank you!!
Shany 😋
Sara Tercero
Shany that is wonderful, thank you. I truly appreciate your kind words and it makes me feel so happy to know I am helping people!
Ann-Marie
I don't know if I ever left a review on this recipe but SERIOUSLY it is so delicious. I love it! I've made it so many times now. Also I make the dressing all the time so I can have it handy when eating a boring salad. It is one of my favorites. I love all your recipes I have tried. You are amazing!
Sara Tercero
Thanks so much Ann-Marie. I appreciate you so much.