Slow Roasted Tomato Farro Salad (Print Version)

Chewy farro meets caramelized tomatoes, feta, and aromatic herbs in this vibrant Mediterranean grain bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Roasted Tomatoes

01 - 1 ½ lbs ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
02 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
03 - 1 tsp sea salt
04 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 tsp dried oregano
06 - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

→ Farro

07 - 1 cup pearled farro
08 - 3 cups water
09 - ½ tsp salt

→ Salad Base

10 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
11 - 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
12 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
13 - ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
14 - 3 cups baby arugula or spinach leaves

→ Dressing

15 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
16 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
17 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
18 - 1 tsp honey
19 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange halved tomatoes cut side up on the prepared sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, and scatter garlic slices over. Roast for 1½ hours, until tomatoes are deeply caramelized and shriveled but still moist. Let cool.
03 - While tomatoes roast, rinse farro under cold water. Combine farro, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes, until farro is tender but chewy. Drain any excess water and let farro cool to room temperature.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper for the dressing.
05 - Add cooled farro, slow-roasted tomatoes with their juices, red onion, basil, parsley, and arugula to the bowl. Toss gently to combine and coat everything in the dressing.
06 - Top with crumbled feta. Toss lightly and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slow-roasted tomatoes become candy sweet and deeply savory, transforming simple farro into something restaurant worthy
  • This salad keeps beautifully for days and actually tastes better as the flavors meld together
  • It hits that perfect balance of chewy, creamy, crisp, and fresh that makes you want to keep eating just one more bite
02 -
  • Do not rush the roasting time, those tomatoes need a full 90 minutes to develop that deep concentrated flavor
  • Let the farro cool completely before mixing or it will wilt the greens and melt the feta into an unappealing mess
  • The dressing might feel thick but that is exactly what you want to coat the farro properly
03 -
  • Save any extra tomato oil and juices, they are liquid gold for drizzling over roasted vegetables or mixing into pasta
  • If you can find them, mixed colored cherry tomatoes make this look absolutely stunning on the table

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