This easy Farro Salad recipe tosses chewy farro, roasted sweet potatoes, and colorful veggies in the best peanut dressing. Make it for a healthy and filling lunch or flavor-packed side dish!
For more hearty vegan salad recipes, be sure to check out my Lentil Salad, White Bean Salad, and Kale Caesar Salad recipes as well.
This farro salad was inspired by a salad I used to get at a local health food store near me. It was so hearty and filling, I knew I had to recreate it one day. Nutty, chewy, and protein-packed farro is combined with hearty beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and fresh vegetables before it’s all tossed in a spicy peanut sauce. Incredibly satisfying and easy to put together, it will quickly become one of your new staples for lunch.
Why you’ll love this farro salad
- Not your average salad – Roasted sweet potatoes, adzuki beans, edamame, and shredded cabbage are dressed in peanut sauce to give every bite an Asian-inspired twist.
- Hearty and satisfying – As a fantastic source of protein and fiber, cooked farro makes this grain salad recipe super filling and satisfying. It’s perfect for healthy meal prep!
- The best peanut sauce – My best-ever 5 Minute Peanut Sauce gets a zesty makeover and extra heat for this farro grain bowl!
How to make a vegan farro salad
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Cook the farro in a pot of boiling water until it’s tender but still chewy. Drain and set aside.
Check what type of farro you’re using: The 3 types of farro—pearled, semi-pearled, and whole—each have different cooking times. Double-check the package instructions to determine how long yours needs to boil before getting started. I used pearled.
Meanwhile, lay the diced sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and toss them in oil and salt. Roast the sweet potatoes until fork tender.
Whisk the spicy peanut sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
Not a fan of spicy food? Feel free to omit the sriracha from the dressing if you’d like.
Transfer the cooked farro, roasted sweet potatoes, and the remaining salad ingredients to a large bowl. Pour the spicy peanut sauce over top and toss until everything is well coated.
Serve the salad right away or chill it in the refrigerator until it’s time to eat. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Farro is a whole grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor. It’s commonly used in a Mediterranean diet, although it’s just as versatile as brown rice, quinoa, and other whole grains. And because it’s loaded with fiber and protein, you’ll want to use it everywhere!
You can add farro to salads, soups, stews, grain bowls, and any other recipe that could use a nutty and chewy grain with heaps of protein and fiber. I recommend cooking a batch and keeping it in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 5 days. That way, you can easily toss it with leafy greens and a simple vinaigrette, with roasted vegetables and beans, or add it to a hearty vegan stew or vegan chili.
Sure. Simply omit the cashews from the salad and replace the peanut butter in the peanut sauce with sunflower seed butter or tahini. The flavors will change slightly, but the salad will still be good.
I find that this salad is best when it’s served chilled. Taking the time to chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes gives the flavors time to deepen, plus it’s so much easier to grab and go! However, if you’d rather eat it warm, feel free to warm up each serving in the microwave beforehand.
The leftover assembled salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. However, if you’d like to keep the veggies crisp and the farro chewy, store the assembled salad and peanut dressing in separate airtight containers.
Farro Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
Farro Salad
- 1 cup uncooked farro I used pearled farro
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup shelled edamame thawed if frozen
- 15 ounce can adzuki beans or chickpeas, red beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted cashews
Spicy Peanut Dressing
- 6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Cook farro – Bring about 3 cups of salted water to a boil, then add the farro and simmer for around 15 minutes until tender, but still chewy. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Roast sweet potato – Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel and diced the sweet potato into 1/2 inch pieces, and add to a sheet pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat in the oil, then spread into an even layer and bake for around 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Make the dressing – In a small-medium bowl, add all sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of warm water if it seems too thick.
- Mix – In a large bowl, add the farro, sweet potato, and all other salad ingredients. Pour the sauce over the salad and toss until well combined.
- Chill and serve – Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- For nut free, omit the roasted cashews and use tahini or sunflower seed butter in the dressing.
Loved this- definitely going to add it to my rotation!
Hi Christina. Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback! I’m thrilled you’ll be adding this recipe to your meal rotation!
This a fab recipe, thank you! Love your peanut sauce recipe–sauces make the dishes. Have made this with what I had on hand, so for the beans/edamame (which I will try another time) I substituted black-eyed peas and the fresh lima beans that I shelled last weekend. Love farro, and appreciate that you’ve come up with a recipe so delicious using healthy favorites. Thanks again.
Loved the dressing. Did not like the salad with red beans in it. Makes it quite dry and not fresh. More edamame would be better or put in some fresh veggies (cucumber, pepper)
Amazing, it reminded me of a spring roll we make but way faster!
Thanks Nora!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!