Ancient Grain Salad

5 from 1 vote

This Ancient Grain Salad is fresh and flavorful with a Mediterranean twist. Made with quinoa, farro, and chickpeas, this healthy salad recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. It’s perfect for a light lunch or an easy side dish.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 354kcal

Author Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Ancient Grain Salad

½ cup (dry) quinoa rinsed
½ cup (dry) pearled farro rinsed
1 whole cucumber peeled, deseeded, and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered and deseeded
¼ large red onion finely diced
½ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
1 15-ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

For the Red Wine Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
½ clove garlic grated or finely minced
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa and farro separately under cool running water. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups of water and the farro. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the quinoa to the same pot. Cover and continue simmering for another 15-20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Keep an eye on it to prevent it from drying out. Cooking times may vary, so refer to the package instructions.
½ cup (dry) quinoa, ½ cup (dry) pearled farro
While the grains are cooking, dice the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and olives. Add them to a large bowl along with the chickpeas and feta cheese.
1 whole cucumber, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, ¼ large red onion, ½ cup Kalamata olives, ½ cup fresh parsley, 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper.
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ clove garlic, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Once the quinoa and farro have finished cooking and cooled for a few minutes, add them to the mixing bowl with the chopped vegetables, chickpeas, and feta cheese. Pour the prepared vinaigrette over the mixture and stir well to combine. Enjoy the salad warm or refrigerate to serve chilled.

Notes

Quick Tip: Keep a close eye on the grains while they're cooking to ensure they don't dry out. Cooking times may vary depending on the brand and type of grains used.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Make Ahead: This salad is ideal for making ahead and makes a wonderful lunch.

Nutrition

Did you try this recipe?Let me know! Comment below, or take a picture and tag me on Instagram @everydayhomemadebyashley.