This warm farro salad is a delicious, hearty lunch, dinner, or side dish. Cooked farro is tossed with Boursin soft cheese while still warm so it melts into the grain, then combined with asparagus and fava beans (or peas if favas aren’t available). The salad is finished with thinly sliced radishes, scallions, fresh herbs, and a bright sherry vinaigrette.
The post also offers suggestions for seasonal vegetable substitutions if you want to swap the asparagus and fava beans.
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🏃♀️ Post Summary
Short on time? Here are the essentials.
- Meal prep: about 40 minutes (most of that is prepping the fava beans). Active cook time: 30 minutes.
- This is a filling salad rich in fiber and plant-based protein.
- Use fresh or frozen peas instead of fava beans to save time.
- Several seasonal vegetable combinations that pair well with farro are suggested below.
Want to make this recipe right the first time? Use the Table of Contents in the post to jump to the sections you need.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
These are the ingredients that benefit from extra explanation. For full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Farro – Pearled barley is an excellent substitute. Both grains lend a nutty flavor and satisfying chew.
- Fava beans – Fresh favas come in long pods in late spring. If you can’t find them, use fresh or frozen peas instead.
- Asparagus – Both thin and thick spears work; roast or air-fry until tender.
- Spring onions – Scallions or diced red onion will substitute nicely.
- Boursin – A soft garlic-and-herb cheese that melts into the warm farro. Feta or goat cheese can be used instead if preferred.
🧐 What is Farro Grain?
Farro is an ancient whole grain with a nutty flavor and chewy texture commonly used in Mediterranean cooking. It cooks similarly to barley. Because it’s a wheat relative, it contains gluten and is not suitable for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Varieties of farro include einkorn and spelt, each with subtle differences in flavor and cooking time.
Farro is typically sold in three forms:
- Whole farro – Most nutritious, retains bran and germ, requires soaking and about an hour of cooking even after soaking.
- Semi-pearled – Part of the bran removed; no soaking needed and cooks in 25–30 minutes.
- Pearled – Bran mostly removed; cooks fastest (15–20 minutes) and yields a tender grain while still providing more fiber than white rice.
Farro by the numbers
A typical ½-cup serving of cooked farro provides a balance of calories, protein, and fiber that supports digestion and metabolic health. It is a good source of complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber.
🎯 Why This Recipe Works
- Chewy farro makes the salad satisfying and adds appealing texture.
- Fresh herbs brighten the dish and layer flavor.
- Radishes contribute a crisp, peppery bite.
- A sherry vinaigrette provides acidity that balances the grain and complements the asparagus.
⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
- Cook farro ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Rewarm gently with a splash of water, drain if needed, and stir in the Boursin.
- Shell, blanch, and peel fava beans up to three or four days in advance and refrigerate in an airtight container.
💡 Ideas for Possible Variations
Farro works with many seasonal vegetables. Try these combinations:
- Fire-roasted or balsamic-roasted tomatoes with green beans and fresh basil.
- Roasted red peppers with shallots and Kalamata olives.
- Lightly sautéed zucchini, corn, and shallots for a summer mix.
- Sautéed or roasted mushrooms in cooler months.
- A simple lemon vinaigrette can replace the sherry vinaigrette depending on your vegetable choices.
❤️ More Farro Recipes
❤️ More Grain Salads
Warm Farro Salad with Asparagus and Fava Beans
Equipment
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Medium pot to cook the farro
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Colander
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Large pot to blanch the fava beans
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Air fryer or conventional oven for the asparagus
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Chef’s knife
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Whisk
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Small bowl
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup uncooked farro, rinsed or pearl barley
- 3 tablespoons Herb and garlic Boursin soft cheese or more to taste
- 30 pods fava beans
- 1 bunch asparagus ends trimmed
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 3 small spring onions or 4 scallions
- 3 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 6 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Sherry Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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Cook the farro. Use a 3:1 water-to-farro ratio. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot, add the rinsed farro, and simmer 15–20 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain, return to the pot, and stir in the Boursin until melted. Cover and keep warm off the heat. (Rinsing farro removes some surface starch.)
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Prepare the fava beans. While the farro cooks, shell the favas. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the shelled beans for 3 minutes. Drain and plunge them into ice water to cool. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze each pod to release the inner bright green bean and place the peeled beans into a bowl. If using fresh green peas, boil or steam 2–5 minutes. Frozen peas need 3–5 minutes straight from frozen—don’t overcook.
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Roast the asparagus. Toss asparagus spears with avocado or olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Air-fry at 400°F for about 5 minutes or roast in a 400°F oven for 10–15 minutes until tender. Slice into 1-inch pieces and add to the bowl with the fava beans.
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Assemble the salad. Add the warm farro to the bowl with fava beans and asparagus. Add the spring onions, radishes, salt, and half the chopped herbs. Toss gently, taste, and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl.
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Make the dressing. Whisk together sherry vinegar, olive oil, Dijon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over the salad and scatter the remaining herbs on top.
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Serve. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 33.8g
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Protein: 8.9g
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Fat: 18.7g
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Fiber: 9g