Farro White Bean Salad with Asparagus and Radishes

Name: Farro White Bean Salad with Asparagus and Radishes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup pearled farro; 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed, chopped into 2 inch pieces; 2 cups radishes, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered; 3 cloves garlic, sliced; 1 tbsp olive oil; Kosher salt; Pepper; 1 lemon, cut in half; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped; 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1/4 tsp Kosher salt; 1/4 tsp pepper

posted by Alex Aldeborgh, RD on May 17, 2022 (last updated 12/7/22) 2 comments »

Jump to Recipe·★★★★★5 from 1 review

This vegan farro salad recipe is full of fresh spring flavor! Ready in about 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for meal prep because you can enjoy it warm or cold.

As a Registered Dietitian, I love to celebrate in-season produce with simple, delicious recipes. This farro salad recipe highlights spring asparagus and radishes, along with creamy white beans, herby parsley and dill, and a simple zesty lemon vinaigrette. It’s fresh, light, and perfect for an easy make-ahead lunch.

This recipe is easy to make, even if you’ve never made farro before! We combine cooked farro, canned white beans, roasted vegetables, and a simple homemade dressing for a farro recipe that you will adore. This makes a big batch and will serve four generously as a main dish or six as a side. It’s certainly on my favorite farro recipes list!

Craving more farro salad recipes? Try my fall farro salad with butternut squash or blueberry basil salad with farro and avocado!

Ingredients in farro white bean salad

Here is everything you need to make this recipe:

Pearled farro
Canned white beans – you can use cannellini beans or great northern beans
Asparagus
Radishes
Fresh parsley
Fresh dill
Garlic
Shallot
Lemon
Olive oil
Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

What is farro?

Farro is an ancient whole grain wheat. Farro grains are larger than rice or quinoa grains, and looks similar to barley. Farro has a nice chewy texture when it is cooked, and it retains its shape well. Farro’s flavor is mild, slightly nutty and slightly sweet, which pairs perfectly with a variety of vegetables and proteins.

How to cook farro

Farro is easy to cook! Before you cook it, you need to find out what type of farro you have. This dictates the time it takes to cook!

There are three types of farro available: whole farro, semi-pearled farro, and pearled farro. Whole farro takes the longest to cook (about 40 minutes), and pearled farro takes the least amount of time to cook (about 15 minutes). This recipe calls for pearled farro, but you can use any type interchangeably – just adjust the cooking time.

This is the easiest way to cook farro:

Combine 1 cup of farro with 2 cups of water in a pot. Add a generous pinch of salt.
Bring water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.
Cook farro for about 15 minutes until grains are tender and chewy for pearled farro, about 25 minutes for semi-pearled farro, and about 40 minutes for whole farro.
Drain any excess water from the pot and fluff farro with a fork.
Season however you please and add to your recipe.

How to make farro white bean salad

Cook farro on the stovetop.
Chop up asparagus, radishes, and garlic. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread out on a baking tray.
Slice a lemon in half and put it cut side down on the baking sheet.
Roast the vegetables for about 20 minutes. When they are done roasting, remove the lemon halves to cool.
While the veggies roast, chop the parsley and dill.
Drain and rinse a can of white beans.
Once the lemon is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the juice into a small bowl or jar and combine it with olive oil, Dijon mustard, chopped shallot, salt, and pepper. Whisk together to make the dressing.
Add the farro, roasted vegetables, white beans, and chopped herbs to a large mixing bowl.
Pour the dressing over everything and toss to combine.

Can I prepare farro salad in advance?

Yes! The beauty of farro salads is they can be enjoyed warm or cold. This farro salad is perfect for meal prepping and it keeps well in the fridge.

This farro salad will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days. After you cook it, let it cool and store in an airtight container.

Serving suggestions

This grain salad is light yet nourishing on its own. If you would like to make it into a heartier, more well balanced meal, pair it with your favorite protein. This salad is delicious paired with a soft boiled egg, tofu, salmon, or cod!

Since this salad tastes good cold, it is a great option to serve at your next spring or summer cookout.

Farro nutrition benefits

Farro is a nutritious whole grain to include in your diet. It had more protein and fiber than brown rice! One fourth cup of dry farro provides:

6 grams of plant-based protein
5 grams of dietary fiber
15 percent of your daily magnesium and zinc needs
4 percent of your daily iron needs
20 percent of your daily niacin needs

When it comes to fiber, farro is higher in soluble fiber than other whole grains. This type of fiber has heart health benefits. Consuming 5-10 grams of soluble fiber per day can help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Whole grain foods including farro contain an abundance of antioxidants. Long term consumption of antioxidant-rich foods may be protective against certain diseases.

Is farro gluten free?

No, farro is not a gluten free grain as it is a wheat grain. However, some people with gluten intolerance can tolerate moderate amounts of farro as it has less gluten in it than regular wheat!

If you have Celiac disease, you should not eat any farro or gluten containing products. Try using quinoa or rice in place of farro for a gluten free grain option for this recipe.

Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!