Quinoa and Farro blended with a lime vinaigrette makes a perfect salad.
I've decided it's time to share a delicious and healthy recipe with you. Lately I've been a bit indulgent....Beer Basted BBQ Chicken, Lemon Cupcakes, Confetti Cupcakes... I guess I have had a few healthy ones to balance things out. The Blueberry Lemon Popsicles are super healthy. I just don't want you thinking all I do is eat sweets and butter laden foods!
This Quinoa and Farro salad is full of flavor and you won't have any guilt after you've eaten a double helping!
This is a perfect dish to take to a summer potluck. It can sit out on the buffet table and you don't have to worry about anything spoiling. No mayo, no meat, no dairy.
It's also a perfect dish because it is vegan, vegetarian! It's pretty much a dish for everyone! Whoot Whoot!!!! I told you this is a winner! Oh wait....maybe I didn't say that! But trust me! This dish is a winner!
What is farro?
Farro is an ancient grain high in protein and fiber. It is a wheat product and does contain gluten.
The star of this salad is the quinoa and farro, but I also added lentils. I had some on hand and decided to throw them in. They made a nice addition, but are totally optional. You could also add brown rice!
The grains do take a bit of time to cook, but you can cook them ahead of time or even make extra if you are preparing them for another dish. Here are some directions on how to cook quinoa and how to cook black beans.
Other Great Quinoa Recipes:
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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my salad recipes!
Qunioa Farro Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Quinoa
- 1 Cup Farro
- ½ Cup Lentils
- 1 Can Black Beans (Rinsed)
- 1 whole Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
- ½ cup Chopped Red Onion
Vinaigrette
- ¼ Cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 zest of lime
- 1 juice of lime
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 juice of lime or lemon
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 Tablespoons chopped chives
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
Cook the Grains
- Rinse the quinoa well and drain. Place in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Let cool slightly and spread out onto a plate to finish cooling.
- Rinse the farro and drain. Place farro in a pot with enough liquid to cover. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until soft, but still has a bit of a bite. Drain and spread farro on a plate to cool.
- Rinse lentils and drain. Place lentils in a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are soft but still has a bit of a bite. Drain and spread lentils on a plate to cool.
Vinaigrette
- In a blender combine olive oil, vinegar, zest, juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and honey. Blend until well mixed.
Assemble the Salad
- In a large bowl, place quinoa, farro, lentils and black beans, pepper and onion. Pour vinaigrette over ingredients. Stir gently to coat.
- Add fresh chives and cilantro. Stir gently.
- Just before serving squeeze fresh lime juice or fresh lemon juice over salad. (optional)
Notes
Nutrition
tracy liepert says
Great hearty, healthy salad! Takes awhile to make but worth it because you will have a ton of salad for days. I added balsamic vinegar to the salad after combining it all, to flavor it up a bit and topped it with crumbled goat cheese. You could also add roasted chicken for a full meal.
Kathy says
Hi Tracy,
You're right, this makes a large salad. When my kids aren't home, I use the leftovers for lunches. It packs ups well and is perfect the next day.
Thanks for your tips!
Kathy 🙂
David @ Spiced says
Love the changes to the site here, Kathy! Nice and clean...just the way I like a blog to be! 🙂 But let's talk about this salad. It sounds perfect for a healthy summer side dish. As we just back from vacation, we are definitely on full-out detox mode here now. (I think I gained about 7 pounds in 10 days...oops. But it was just so good!) Anyways, this salad sounds like the perfect way to stay healthy without giving up on flavor. Love the addition of lime juice here!
Kathy says
Thanks, David! Glad you had a great vacation!
peter @Feed Your Soul Too says
A perfectly, light and healthy summer side dish.
Renee says
Mmm I love farro, it's one of my favorite things to use in salads. This looks delish!