Mediterranean Herb Farro Grain Bowl (Printable)
Hearty farro bowl with fresh vegetables, marinated olives, and herbs for a satisfying Mediterranean meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup farro, rinsed
02 - 2 ½ cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
→ Marinated Olives
04 - 1 cup mixed pitted olives (green and black)
05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - Zest of ½ lemon
→ Vegetables
11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1 small cucumber, diced
13 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
14 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
15 - ½ cup roasted red bell peppers, sliced
→ Fresh Herbs & Toppings
16 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
18 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
19 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Dressing
21 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
22 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
23 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
24 - ½ teaspoon honey
25 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine farro, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes or until farro is tender. Drain any excess water and let cool slightly.
02 - In a small bowl, combine olives, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Toss well and let sit for at least 20 minutes.
03 - In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked farro, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, spinach, roasted red peppers, parsley, and dill. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine.
05 - Divide the farro mixture among four bowls. Top each with marinated olives, crumbled feta, and toasted pine nuts. Finish with a few grinds of black pepper.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The marinated olives become these little flavor bombs that make every bite interesting
- You can prep everything ahead and it actually tastes better after the flavors hang out for a while
02 -
- The farro keeps cooking after you take it off the heat, so err on the side of slightly underdone rather than mushy
- Room temperature grain bowls actually taste better than cold ones, so don't stress about chilling everything
03 -
- Toasting the pine nuts transforms them from an optional garnish into something people will specifically ask about
- Reserving a tablespoon of the olive marinade to drizzle over the finished bowls creates this incredible finish