This Delicious and Healthy Farro and Pea Salad is bursting with all the flavors of summer.
This Farro and Pea Salad is everything I love about late summer cooking—simple, vibrant, nourishing, and filled with fresh seasonal flavor. Tender farro, sweet peas, fragrant mint, creamy feta, and a bright lemon dressing come together in a hearty grain salad that’s perfect for lunches, picnics, or an easy weeknight meal.
A Taste of Summer in Every Bite
Certain combinations simply belong together.
Fresh mint and lemon.
Sweet peas and creamy feta.
Nutty whole grains and handfuls of garden herbs.
This beautiful Farro and Pea Salad celebrates them all. It’s one of those recipes that feels elegant enough for entertaining yet simple enough to make on an ordinary Tuesday. Every bite is fresh, bright, and deeply satisfying.
The chewy farro makes it substantial enough to enjoy as a meal, while the lemon dressing keeps everything tasting light and refreshing. It’s the kind of salad you’ll find yourself making on repeat all summer, and well into early autumn.
The Plant Magic of Farro
Farro is one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world, treasured for thousands of years throughout the Mediterranean. Long before trendy grain bowls appeared on café menus, farro was nourishing families with its wonderfully chewy texture and rich, nutty flavor.
I love cooking with ancient grains because they connect us to generations of simple, seasonal eating. They remind us that some of the very best foods have stood the test of time.
Paired with vibrant herbs, fresh vegetables, and citrus, farro becomes something truly special.
Why You’ll Love This Farro and Pea Salad
- Fresh, bright summer flavors
- Packed with fiber and plant protein
- Perfect for meal prep
- Delicious served warm or chilled
- Easy enough for everyday meals
- Wonderful for picnics, potlucks, and barbecues
What Is Farro?
Farro is an ancient whole grain with a wonderfully chewy texture and slightly nutty flavor.
Although people sometimes confuse it with spelt, they’re different grains. Spelt is generally softer and rounder, while farro has the pleasantly firm bite that makes it ideal for grain salads.
If you’ve never cooked with farro before, this recipe is a wonderful place to start.
Why Farro Is So Good for You
Farro isn’t just delicious, it’s wonderfully nourishing too.
As a whole grain, it’s naturally rich in:
- Fiber to support healthy digestion
- Plant-based protein for lasting satisfaction
- Magnesium for healthy muscles and nerves
- Iron and zinc
- B vitamins that help convert food into energy
- Antioxidants that help protect our cells
Because it’s high in both fiber and protein, farro helps create meals that are filling, balanced, and satisfying without feeling heavy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This simple salad comes together with just a handful of wholesome ingredients.
- Farro
- Sweet peas (fresh or frozen)
- Fresh mint
- Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice
- Vegan feta or traditional feta (optional)
- Shallot (optional, for extra flavor)
- Extra virgin olive oil or your favorite light vinaigrette
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Every ingredient has a purpose, creating the perfect balance of chewy, creamy, sweet, bright, and refreshing.
How to Make Farro and Pea Salad
This recipe couldn’t be easier.
- Cook the farro according to the package directions until it’s tender but still pleasantly chewy.
- While the farro is still warm, toss it with the lemon dressing so it absorbs all that wonderful flavor.
- Stir in the peas; they’ll thaw quickly from the warmth of the grain while keeping their beautiful, bright green color.
- Allow the salad to cool slightly before folding in the fresh mint and feta.
- Taste and adjust with more lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, or mint until it tastes just right.
Tips for the Best Farro Salad
A few simple tricks make this salad even better.
Don’t overcook the farro
Its signature chewy texture is what makes this salad so satisfying.
Add the mint last
Fresh mint bruises easily, so stir it in once the farro has cooled slightly to keep it vibrant and green.
Taste before serving
Grain salads often need an extra squeeze of lemon or another sprinkle of herbs after they’ve been sitting for a while. Those final little adjustments make all the difference.
Use frozen peas straight from the freezer
There’s no need to cook them first. Stir them into the warm farro, and they’ll become perfectly tender while keeping their fresh sweetness.
Make Ahead
This salad is perfect for meal prep.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Before serving, give it a gentle toss and brighten it with another squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a few extra mint leaves. Those fresh finishing touches bring all the flavors back to life.
Delicious Variations
This recipe is wonderfully adaptable.
Try adding:
- Peppery arugula
- Baby spinach
- Asparagus
- Cucumber
- Radishes
- Broad beans
- Fresh dill or parsley
- Toasted pistachios or almonds
- Cherry tomatoes
- Crumbled goat cheese or feta
Bring a Little Plant Magic to Your Table
Some recipes quietly become favorites.
They’re easy to make, endlessly adaptable, and somehow seem to fit every occasion, from relaxed summer lunches to picnics under shady trees and simple family suppers.
This Farro and Pea Salad is one of those recipes. Full of seasonal ingredients, fresh herbs, bright citrus, and wholesome grains, it’s a delicious reminder that everyday cooking can feel just a little bit magical.
Farro and Pea Salad with Mint and Lemon
This satisfying salad has all the flavors of the Mediterranean and is bursting with lemon and mint. The dressing comes from Jane Esselstyn’s No Oil Dressing Video
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 side servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups farro
4-6 oz dairy or non-dairy feta cheese
1 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 lemon for extra juice and zest
10 oz package of frozen peas
For the dressing:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Zest and juice of a lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 – 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the farro according to the package directions.
- To make the dressing, mix the balsamic vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper. Taste as you go, add more salt and pepper as you desire.
- Pour the dressing over the farro. Stir well; you may not need all the dressing.
- Add the peas (they do not have to be cooked – they will cook in the heat of the farro) to combine. Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so.
- Stir in the mint and feta cheese
- Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: salad
- Diet: Vegan
Don’t forget to Pin it for later!
Looking for other wonderful salads? Try these;
Fabulous Quinoa Salad
Baby Potato Salad with Dill Yogurt Dressing
If you’ve whipped up this Farro and Pea Salad, please do rate the recipe and leave me a comment below.
Happy cooking and eating!
Is it supposed to have this much mustard?
It is extremely strong .
Hi Sandra,
Thanks for reaching out. Please do cut the mustard down if it’s too strong, If it’s already made try whisking in a tablespoon of water or two, play with the ingredients to see if you can get a balance that tastes right to you.
Hope this helps,
Best,
Mary