- Ina’s favorite vegetarian dish is a simple salad named after the Charlie Bird restaurant in NYC.
- This recipe is featured in Cook Like a Pro, one of her many cookbooks.
- Serve as a main course or as a delicious side dish for holiday meals and everyday dinners.
If you’re looking for a truly delicious recipe with fresh ingredients and lots of flavor, you can’t go wrong with an Ina Garten original. The host of Barefoot Contessa is always sharing simple, but tasty, recipes that get our mouths watering, whether it’s for a bowl of cozy braised short ribs or some delectably cheesy Baked Fontina.
The only tough thing about making an Ina recipe is actually choosing which one you want to try—that’s why we’re always thrilled when Ina does the hard part for us. If she wants to reveal her favorite recipes and dinner party menus, we’re always happy to listen. Ina made our dinner plans for the week when she revealed her favorite vegetarian dish: Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad.
This recipe is named for Charlie Bird, a New York City restaurant that features an enticingly simple farro salad on its menu. Ina re-created it for her cookbook, Cook Like a Pro, and made it a go-to dish in the Garten house. She says that this salad is definitely lighter fare, it’s “so delicious and satisfying that no one minds.”
And if you plan to re-create the magic of this recipe at home, the task ahead is pretty simple. You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup pearled farro (6 ounces)
- 1 cup fresh apple cider
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup good olive oil
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved through the stem
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced radishes (2 to 3 radishes)
- ½ cup shaved Italian Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup roasted, salted pistachios, whole or chopped
- 2 cups baby arugula
- Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon
The first step in this recipe is to prepare your farro, which takes about 40 minutes. Combine the farro with the apple cider and bay leaves in a saucepan, and add a big pinch of salt and some water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the farro is tender. (On the off chance that the farro absorbs all the liquid before it’s done, simply add more water.) Add the farro to your serving bowl, then discard the bay leaves. If you want to prep this salad in advance, you can easily make the farro the day before and keep it in the fridge, ready to go.
With the farro all set, whisk up a vinaigrette with your fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Stir the vinaigrette into the warm farro, then let the grains cool for about 15 minutes. As it cools, prep your salad ingredients—roughly chop your fresh herbs, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, thinly slice your radishes and shave your Parmesan cheese. When the farro is the perfect temperature, stir in the pistachios, herbs, tomatoes and radishes. Then add the arugula and carefully fold in the Parmesan—these ingredients are delicate, so be gentle. Top with a bit of flaky salt, and this salad is ready to serve.
If you’ve never made farro before, you may have a new favorite pantry staple on your hands. We love using farro in just about any grain bowl, like our Grilled Vegetable & Black Bean Farro Bowls or Anti-Inflammatory Farro & White Bean Salad. You can also swap in the fiber-packed whole grain in our Farro Risotto with Mushrooms & Greens.
In the chilliest part of winter, it can be easy to ignore salads as an easy dinner option. After all, some of our favorite salads are cool, light and chock-full of summer produce. But this salad is filling and flavorful, featuring ingredients you can get just about any time of year—so try it yourself the next time you need a quick, simple vegetarian lunch or dinner. In our experience, anything that Ina calls a “favorite” is bound to knock you off your feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is pearled farro?
This recipe uses pearled farro, a type of ancient Mediterranean wheat from Italy with most of its bran removed. It doesn’t require soaking and cooks quickly. When shopping for farro, check the packaging to be sure you get the right variety, as different ones cook at different rates. This is important for achieving the best results.
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Is farro a gluten-free grain?
Unfortunately, farro contains gluten. You might consider trying this recipe with another grain such as brown rice or quinoa as gluten-free alternatives—of course, it won’t be the same.
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How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Transfer everything to an airtight container and refrigerate it, where it will keep for about 4 days or freeze it in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. You can serve it either hot or cold, but it tends to be more flavorful at room temperature. If you want to reheat it, add a small amount of water and microwave it in 30-second intervals, or warm it on the stovetop for about 5 minutes.
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What should I serve with this farro salad?
