Thai-Style Farro Salad

A refreshing alternative to rice or pasta salad, this Thai-Style Farro Salad makes a wonderful addition to any picnic or potluck table. Crisp cucumbers, shredded carrot and crunchy bell peppers contrast nicely with the chewy farro and the simple dressing of fresh lime juice, olive oil and soy sauce is lightly sweetened with a little pure maple syrup.

This deliciously hearty salad stands on its own as vegetarian main dish salad but also pairs well with any grilled or roasted meats (from beef to chicken to seafood).

Some say farro is the original ancestor of all other wheat species. In ancient Rome, farro was a staple food and is sill highly regarded as an heirloom grain in Italy today where it has been grown for generations by Tuscan farmers.

How Many Calories and WW Points in this Farro Salad?

According to my calculations, each generous 1-cup serving has about 130 calories.

To see your WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!

How to Make Thai-Style Farro Salad

Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.

Step 2: Stir the farro and water in the Instant Pot.

Step 3: Lock the lid in place and place the steam release valve in the “Sealing” position. Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. After the cooking cycle finishes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, move the steam release valve to the “Venting” position and release the remaining pressure. Once the float valve drops and all pressure has been released, unlock and remove the lid. With potholders, remove the inner pot and cool the farro for about 15 minutes.

Step 4: Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lime juice, salt, soy sauce and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl.

Step 5: Transfer the cooled farro to large bowl and stir in the dressing along with the red bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, green onions and cilantro until thoroughly combined.

Step 6: Store any leftover farro salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

What is farro?
Farro, a very nutritious ancient whole wheat grain, resembles wheat berries or barley and is usually found near rice in most well-stocked grocery stores. Farro is cooked in water until it becomes soft and chewy and does contain gluten. It is a great alternative to rice, quinoa, barley and buckwheat and once cooked, farro makes a nice addition to salads, soups and stews.

According to WW Recipe Builder, 1 cup of cooked farro contains 7.6g fiber and 10g protein with 5 WW Points. By comparison, 1 cup of cooked quinoa has 5.2g fiber and 8.1g protein with 5 WW Points.

Turn this salad gluten-free by replacing the farro with 2 cups of quinoa or brown rice and using tamari for the soy sauce.

I saved a little time by cooking my farro in my Instant Pot, but it can also be cooked on the stovetop.

How to Cook Farro on a Stove
Rinse farro and place in a large pot. For every 1 cup of farro, add 3 cups of water or broth (should be enough to cover the farro grains). Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain excess liquid and cool. Continue with recipe instructions as written.

You can also reduce the cooking time by soaking your farro overnight.

Cover farro with water and soak in the refrigerator overnight, then drain. When you are ready to cook, add farro to a large pot and add 3 cups of water or broth for every 1 cup of farro. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain excess liquid and cool. Continue with recipe instructions as written.

Serving Suggestions

This salad pairs well with anything from the grill—steaks, chicken, fish or shrimp. It also makes a hearty vegetarian main course salad.

Ways to Use Leftovers

Mix your favorite protein into this farro salad—chopped cooked chicken breast, canned flaked tuna, grilled shrimp or marinated baked tofu would all be delicious.

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Recipe source: The Fresh and Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook: 75 Easy Recipes for Light Meals to Make in Your Electric Pressure Cooker by Megan Gilmore

*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan’s ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

If you like this Thai-Style Vegetarian Farro Salad, you might also like

Crock Pot Vegetarian Farro with Tomatoes and Basil
Slow Cooker Vegetable Quinoa Salad
Tomato Basil Brown Rice Salad
Gluten-Free Quinoa Tabbouleh

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