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Charlie Bird Farro Salad
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5 from 11 votes

Charlie Bird Farro Salad

The famed farro salad from Charlie Bird restaurant in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. Recipe adapted from Melissa Clark and the New York Times.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cooling time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Keyword: 4th of July, baby shower, Memorial Day
Servings: 6 people
Author: Marissa Stevens

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole farro see recipe note #1 for using semi-pearled farro
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 2 cups cold water
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lemon juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 1/2 ounces parmesan cheese coarsely grated or shaved with a vegetable peeler (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 1/2 ounces chopped pistachio nuts about 1/2 cup
  • 3 ounces baby arugula leaves
  • 1 ounce flat leaf parsley or basil leaves, torn, about 1 cup
  • 1 ounce mint leaves torn, about 1 cup
  • 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced radish
  • flaky sea salt such as Maldon, for finishing

Instructions

  • Bring farro, apple cider, water, salt and bay leaves to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat; let simmer 30-35 minutes, or until farro is tender and liquid evaporates. Set aside to cool. (recipe note #2) Once farro is cool, discard bay leaves and fluff with fork.
  • In a large salad bowl, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil. Add farro and gently toss to coat. (You can keep this salad base for 4 hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight. Bring farro mixture to room temperature before adding remaining ingredients.)
  • When you're ready to serve, gently fold in cheese, pistachio nuts, arugula, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and radish. Season to taste with flaky sea salt and serve.

Notes

  1. If you use semi-pearled farro, reduce amount of water to 1 2/3 cups (total 2 2/3 cups total liquid between apple cider and water) and check package for cooking time, typically 10-15 minutes. 
  2. If you want to speed the cooling process; lower the pan with cooked farro into an ice bath (taking care to avoid any water spilling into the farro); gently stir to cool farro quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 599mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1167IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 3mg

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