Greek Grain Salad

Name: Greek Grain Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 cup farro; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half; 1 small cucumber, peeled and diced; 1 tablespoon capers; 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled; Juice from one lemon; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper

Jump to Recipe

This simple recipe for Greek grain salad adds the nutty flavor of farro to the rich flavors of Greek salad for a satisfying main or side dish! Perfect with fish, steak, chicken, or all on its own.

Jump to:

Why we love this recipe
What is farro?
How to cook farro
Ingredients you need
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
How to make this recipe
Equipment we used for this recipe
Recipe FAQs
What to do with leftover ingredients
What to serve with this recipe
Other hearty salads we love!
We want to know what you think! 🤔
Greek Grain Salad

Why we love this recipe

Let’s talk Greek salad for a minute! I love every single thing about Greek salads (okay, except for the olives which I do not love one single bit. Sorry, olives.)

The crunchy lettuce and cucumbers, the sweet tomatoes, the tangy feta cheese, and the simple olive and vinegar dressing, usually with some oregano somewhere in the mix.

I love it with such a passion that I decided I needed to make it a main course, and while of course I could have added chicken or steak or fish (more on that in a sec), I decided to amp it up by adding one of my favorite grains…farro!

What is farro?

Farro is a completely delightful wheat grain that is nutty, chewy and delicious – think brown rice or barley but with a little more oomph. It’s also packed with protein and fiber – delicious bonus points!

It used to be kinda hard to find, but these days you can almost always find it hanging out in your supermarket next to, yep, the rice and the barley.

How to cook farro

Cooking farro is just as easy as cooking rice. Put your farro in a pot with water (I use a ratio of 1 1/4 cups or water for each cup of farro) with a pinch of salt, and bring it to a simmer.

Give it a stir every once in a while – it’s going to take about 25 or 30 minutes to soften up and absorb that water, and if it gets too dry before the cooking time is up, just drizzle in a little more water, the same way you would do with rice.

Once it’s cooked, fluff it up with a fork, and that’s it – you have made farro! One cup of dry farro is going to make about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of cooked farro.

Ingredients you need

Ingredients needed for greek grain salad.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Farro: We love this hearty, nutty grain for this salad and you can find it near the rice in your supermarket, but you can also use brown rice or barley if you prefer.
Feta Cheese: This salty goat’s milk cheese is usually in the specialty cheese section of your supermarket. We recommend the block of feta (not the crumbles, which can be dry). Got some left over? Make this easy Feta Spinach Frittata!
Capers: These little green buds are in a briny, salty liquid and taste like teeny pickles. Look for them in the condiments aisle.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.

How to make this recipe

STEP 1: Cook up your farro according to package directions – this recipe calls for 3 cups for cooked farro, so cook up 1 cup of dry farro.

STEP 2: While the farro is cooling make a light dressing by combining the juice from one lemon with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, a teaspoon of dried oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper (I like to shake this up in a mason jar, since it is one of my missions in life to use my mason jars Whenever Possible).

Grain salad with veggies in a mixing bowl.

STEP 3: When your farro has cooled a bit (stir it around now and then and that will speed up the cooling process) transfer it to a mixing bowl and stir in a cup of halved cherry tomatoes, a small chopped cucumber, a tablespoon of capers and a half cup of feta cheese in a bowl and mix it all up gently to combine.

Greek grain salad in a bowl on a dishtowel.

STEP 4: Drizzle the dressing over your salad, tasting as you go, until the salad has the right amount of dressing. And…that’s it! You can either transfer it to a pretty serving dish or spoon it right onto dinner plates.

Equipment we used for this recipe

These are some of my favorite kitchen tools! These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I get a little something if you buy through my links at no extra cost to you. (Which helps pay for all that bacon I keep buying! 😄) And I only share things I use and love. I’m so grateful for your support!

Measuring Cup: We love these angled cups that show the measurements on both the inside and outside of the cup.
Measuring Spoons: These handy magnetic spoons are not on a ring, so you can just pick the one you need.
Metal Bowls: We love these sturdy metal bowls for both mixing and casual serving.
Cutting Board: These sturdy, dishwasher-safe cutting boards come in all different sizes.
Tongs: We have this essential kitchen tool in all sizes from short to extra long.
Mason Jars: Oh, the ever helpful mason jar! Just right for shaking up salad dressings, storing ingredients, and eating slow cooker brownie pudding out of!

Recipe FAQs

What does a grain bowl consist of?

All grain bowls use a grain as a base – barley, rice, farro, etc. – with some vegetables and usually some cheese and a light vinaigrette dressing. Often there is some extra protein mixed in, like fish, chicken or steak.

Can I substitute another grain for the farro?

You can use an equal amount of cooked barley or brown rice for the farro, but only if you promise me you will try farro sometime in the near future. :)

Can this salad be made ahead?

This can not only be made ahead, but it will also keep nicely for a day or two in the fridge. In both cases, let it come to room temperature before you serve it up so the farro (or rice or barley) can soften up from being in the refrigerator.

Have a question that I didn’t cover?

Leave your question (or comment or suggestion) in the Comments box below the recipe and I will answer pronto!

This is of course a great vegetarian main course, but it also makes a terrific side dish with grilled steak or chicken or seafood – either on the side or mixed right in to the delectable salad bowl.

This concludes my love note to Greek grain salad! Your new salad best friend. :)

What to do with leftover ingredients

Have some leftovers? Join our No Ingredient Left Behind Club with these recipe ideas!

Farro: Use those extra grains in a Tuna Farro Salad or a Green Bean Farro Salad.
Feta Cheese: Try this Roasted Butternut Squash with Feta, or these scrumptious Feta Mashed Potatoes.
Cherry Tomatoes: Make these Seared Scallops with Cherry Tomato Sauce, or this gorgeous and speedy Steak Caprese.

What to serve with this recipe

If we feel like a little more protein, I add in some buttermilk grilled chicken or some grilled rum steak. We do love a glass of strawberry lemonade with this salad, and for dessert? Let’s have some blueberry boy bait!

Other hearty salads we love!

We want to know what you think! 🤔

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe.