Farro Pea and Romano Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing is a hearty, satisfying salad loaded with flavor from shallots, Romano cheese, and a zippy lemon dressing.
I love stocking my refrigerator with salads that can serve as a week’s worth of lunches or as a last minute side dish for dinner. Salads that keep well and can be a quick go-to in a pinch are great to have on hand. This salad combines hearty and nutty farro with peas, shallots, romano, and a zippy lemon dijon dressing. Simple to prepare and big on flavor, this salad is very satisfying.
What is Farro?
Farro is a whole grain that has a chewy texture and a slightly nutty flavor. It can be used in place of rice or pasta and is delicious in salads. Farro Pea and Romano Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing is hearty and satisfying, but also fresh-tasting with the zippy lemon dressing.
This salad is easy to prepare and comes together very quickly once the farro is cooked. Cook the farro according to package directions; farro usually cooks in about 30 minutes. This can also be done ahead of time. Just keep the farro refrigerated until you are ready to make the salad.
While the farro cooks, slice the shallot, blanch the peas, mix up the dressing, and cut up the romano cheese. Once the farro has cooled, add to a bowl along with the shallots, peas, romano cheese, and toss to combine. Pour the dressing over the top and mix again. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated.
Farro is hearty enough for this salad to be lunch by itself, but it’s also perfect as a side dish to beef, chicken, or fish. Prep this salad over the weekend and have fuss-free lunches all week long! If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below and tag me on Instagram @mycasualpantry.
Other recipes you may enjoy
- Tortellini Antipasto Salad
- Corn and Black Bean Salad with Avocado and Cilantro
- Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado
A great option for weekday lunches or a side dish for dinner. Hearty and loaded with flavor, this salad keeps well in the refrigerator.
- 2 cups farro, uncooked
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups peas
- 3 ounces Romano cheese, broken into small pieces
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- juice and zest of 2 lemons
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 5 Tablespoons grapeseed oil or similar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cook the farro according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, add the peas to a pot of boiling water. Cook for one minute. Strain and add to a bowl filled with ice water. Strain and set aside. This blanching and shocking will help the peas retain their bright green color.
Slice the shallots. Cut the romano cheese into small cubes or use the tip of a knife to break small pieces off the block of Romano. Set aside.
To mix the dressing, add the mustard, lemon juice, zest, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Whisk until combined and emulsified. Set aside.
To a large bowl, add the cooked farro, peas, shallots, and romano. Toss to combine. Pour the dressing over the top and mix to coat. Serve and refrigerate leftovers.
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