If you’re after a unique and delicious side dish filled with whole grains then you will love this salad packed with farro, green lentils and plenty of fresh herbs.
Full of Mediterranean flavours, this makes for an excellent side dish for fish or a vegetarian main – or make it ahead and eat it for lunch!
A great way to enjoy delicious farro and nutty green lentils, this is quick to throw together and doesn’t require a specialised dressing – it’s just a simple mixture of lemon juice and olive oil!
How to Make a Green Lentil and Farro Salad
This salad is super quick and simple to make – so long as you plan enough time to cook both the lentils and the farro (which can be done even a couple of days in advance).
With that done, the first thing to do is to season and drain the tomatoes and cucumbers.
This is the same step I follow in my tabbouleh recipe and with the tomatoes for my wedge salad and it helps to ensure that everything is thoroughly seasoned and that there is no excess moisture in the salad.
All you need to do is add your tomatoes and cucumbers to a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let sit while you assemble the rest of your salad.
Start by lightly toasting some whole cumin and coriander seeds – this amplifies their flavour. Add the seeds to a dry pan and set it over high heat. As soon as you see the seeds starting to jiggle and dance around the pan, remove them from the heat.
Lightly crush the seeds in a mortar and pestle or, if you don’t have one, use the back of a sturdy pan on a cutting board. Then, add the seeds to a large salad bowl.
To the bowl also squeeze in a bit of lemon juice, add a touch of lemon zest, grate in a clove of garlic and pour in a bit of honey. Whisk all of this to combine and add your cooked green lentils and farro.
To this, add some pomegranate seeds – these add both fruity acidity and a pop of beautiful colour – and some finely chopped herbs. I like to use a mixture of fresh parsley, mint, thyme and oregano, but go ahead and use whatever blend of complementary herbs you’d like!
Finally, add in your seasoned tomatoes and cucumbers along with a good drizzle of olive oil. Season further with a bit of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and toss to combine.
Now the great thing is that you can eat this right away or stash it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
This salad goes excellently as a side dish for something like my za’atar salmon or alongside my roasted cauliflower steaks.
Farro & Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 100 g (⅔ cup) tomatoes diced
- 100 g (¾ cup) cucumber diced
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp honey
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 250 g (1 cup) cooked green lentils from 100g (½ cup) dried lentils
- 200 g (1¼ cups) cooked farro from 100g (⅔ cup) dried farro
- 50 g (⅓ cup) pomegranate seeds
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint chopped
- 2 tsp fresh oregano chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and add the tomatoes and cucumbers. Season generously with salt and allow to drain while preparing the rest of the salad.
- Add the cumin and coriander seeds to a small skillet and set over high heat. Let toast until the seeds begin dancing across the bottom of the pan – about 1 minute. Crush lightly in mortar & pestle or with the back of pan and add to a large salad bowl.
- To the bowl with the spices, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, honey and garlic. Whisk to combine.
- Add the lentils, farro, pomegranate seeds, parsley, mint, oregano and thyme. Drizzle over the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and serve.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This hearty side salad is such a great accompaniment for Mediterranean-themed dinners and it’s perfect for a make-ahead lunch, as well.
Are you after an excellent side salad with lentils and farro? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
