Should this salad be warm or cold?

This salad is great warm OR cold! Let the corn and farro cool completely before tossing if you'd like a cold salad.

Can I make farro salad ahead of time?

Yes! It's easy to prep the components for this salad in advance. You can meal prep this recipe one of two ways: 1. Prep and assemble the salad, but leave the tomatoes out. Refrigerate the farro + grilled corn + dressing mixture up to 5 days, then add fresh, room temperature cherry tomatoes just before serving. Tomatoes can dry out and develop a mushy texture in the fridge: Adding them at the last minute helps preserve their flavor and texture while still letting you do the bulk of the prep ahead of time! 2. Prep each component separately, refrigerate in individual airtight containers for up to 5 days, and assemble the salad when you're ready to serve: - Make the farro and let it cool completely before storing. - Grill the corn ahead of time, cool completely, and remove the kernels from the cob. - Make the dressing ahead of time. Note that extra virgin olive oil will solidify a bit in the fridge: If your dressing has been refrigerated for a few days, it might look like it's solidified quite a bit. This is normal! Let cold dressing sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes, then stir well to loosen it back up. You can also whisk in a splash of warm water to thin the dressing out a bit.

How do I get a smoother salad dressing?

We recommend using a bullet-style blender for this dressing: In our testing, that blender style achieves the smoothest possible purée. (We also use this technique in our lemon tahini dressing , which features fresh parsley!) When you're working with fresh herbs and blending in such small quantities, those tiny blenders really do an excellent job of getting the dressing very, very smooth. In the photos above, we used the single-serve cup attachment that came with our Ninja Blender . If you don't have a bullet-style blender, you can make this dressing with an immersion blender and a large jar (in our testing, this method also achieved a very smooth purée). A full-size blender will work here, but our testers note that especially large blenders don't always blend this dressing as smoothly as their smaller counterparts. If you have a large blender that's struggling to get this dressing as smooth as you'd like, try doubling the recipe: This gives the blades more herbs to "grab" onto as they blend, and will help you get a smoother final result. We don't recommend using a food processor in this recipe, especially if your food processor is on the larger side (12-14 cups): There just isn't enough volume here to properly blend in a food processor, and you'll end up with a chunkier dressing (even if you double the recipe). For more guidance on this dressing, see our full basil vinaigrette dressing recipe post.

Can I use a different dressing or make substitutions for the vinaigrette?

Yes! Swap the red wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Use any herb you like in the dressing: We love basil, but it's also great with fresh cilantro, chives, or dill. Add a clove of garlic or a few pieces of shallot to this dressing to give it more of a bite. Check out our full red wine basil vinaigrette tutorial for more details on substitutions and technique!

Summery Farro Salad with Basil Dressing and Grilled Corn

Description

This simple grain salad is perfect for summer! Grilled sweet corn and cherry tomatoes pair beautifully with earthy farro and a bright basil vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Scale

For the dressing:

1 packed cup fresh basil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste

For the salad:

1 cup uncooked farro
2-3 ears of grilled corn, kernels removed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook Mode Keep screen awake

Instructions

Make the dressing. Add basil, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil to a small blender with a pinch of kosher salt. Blend until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.
Cook farro according to package directions. Let cool and set aside.
Assemble the salad. Add cooked farro, grilled corn kernels, and cherry tomatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add basil dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Additions and Substitutions. Use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in place of red wine vinegar in the dressing. Swap the farro for barley, brown rice, quinoa, or orzo. Add extra veggies (grilled zucchini or eggplant, bell pepper, sliced red onion) or cheese (feta, shaved parmesan). For a heartier salad, add leafy greens (arugula, kale, spinach) just before serving.

Make ahead tips. Cook or prep the individual components (farro, corn, dressing) ahead of time, let cool completely, and store in airtight containers in the fridge until you're ready to assemble. Alternatively, assemble the salad with everything but the tomatoes, and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Tomatoes will dry out in the fridge; we recommend adding them just before serving for best results.

Equipment. We prefer a bullet-style blender here, as it creates an exceptionally smooth dressing.

This recipe is very forgiving! Adjust the exact amount of each ingredient to suit your tastes.