Spring Farro Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
There's something undeniably refreshing about a grain salad in the springtime. This Spring Farro Salad was designed to showcase the season's best, like asparagus, green beans, and peas, tossed with chewy whole grains and a generous drizzle of lemon tahini dressing.
It's the kind of flexible, seasonal recipe that works equally well for a picnic lunch or quick dinner with crusty bread or soup on the side. You can even add it to your Easter or Mother's Day menu-it's that pretty.
Farro is one of my favorite grains for hearty salads. It has a satisfying chew and earthy flavor that pairs perfectly with both fresh and roasted vegetables. If you're looking for more vegetarian recipes like this, check out my collection of easy salads and grain bowls or my post on vegetarian intuitive eating for more ideas on how to enjoy nourishing, seasonal meals that align with your values.
For a spring holiday, like Easter or Mother's Day, try serving this grain salad with Pesto Smashed Potatoes, Pasta Primavera, and 2-Ingredient Strawberry Milkshakes.
Ingredients
This farro salad starts with a base of chewy farro simmered in vegetable broth for extra depth of flavor. It's layered with tender asparagus, green beans, and sweet peas-all gently steamed to keep their bright color and crunch. Canned chickpeas add plant-based protein, while creamy avocado and thinly sliced radish bring richness and a little bite. The real magic comes from the lemon tahini dressing: a silky blend of tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and just a touch of honey or maple syrup, whisked until perfectly pourable. Top it all off with strawberries, sunflower seeds, and fresh mint for a dish that feels as beautiful as it tastes.
Substitutions
- Grain: Use quinoa, barley, or another favorite grain instead of farro. For a gluten-free version, quinoa works best.
- Tahini: Swap tahini for another nut or seed butter (like almond or sunflower seed) if preferred.
- Vegetables: Try broccoli, zucchini, or snap peas in place of asparagus or green beans.
- Sweetener: Use maple syrup to make this recipe fully vegan.
- Chickpeas: White beans or lentils can be used instead for variety.
Storage
This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, making it ideal for meal prep. Store the farro, veggies, and dressing in separate airtight containers for the freshest flavor. The dressing may thicken when chilled-just whisk in a splash of water before serving. Slice the avocado just before serving to minimize browning.
This salad isn't ideal for freezing, but leftovers taste great cold or gently reheated.
Top tip
The total amount of water you'll need to thin out the dressing depends on how thick your tahini is. Continue gradually adding the water a couple tablespoons at a time until the consistency is right.
FAQ
Fruits and vegetables in season during the spring season include asparagus, lettuce and greens, green beans, strawberries, radishes, fresh herbs, and avocado.
Farro salad is typically made with cooked farro grains combined with fresh or cooked vegetables, a dressing (often lemony or tahini-based), and sometimes protein like beans or chickpeas. This Spring Farro Salad features farro, steamed asparagus, green beans, peas, chickpeas, avocado, radishes, and a creamy tahini-lemon dressing, making it a flavorful and nutritious meal.
Farro is an ancient whole grain that comes from a type of wheat. It has a nutty flavor and chewy texture and is popular in Mediterranean and Italian cuisine. Farro is usually sold as pearled, semi-pearled, or whole; pearled farro cooks faster as some of the bran is removed.
Related
Looking for more salad ideas? Try these:
Pairing
Here are a few dishes to serve with this Spring Salad:
📖 Recipe
Spring Farro Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Pot with lid
- Large pot with a steamer basket or colander that fits inside or microwave and microwave-safe bowl (see note 2)
Ingredients
Farro:
- 1 cup dry farro (see note 1)
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth or water
Steamed vegetables:
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and chopped into thirds
- 2 cups green beans
- 1 cup frozen peas
Dressing:
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 8 tablespoons water
Salad:
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 4 radishes thinly sliced
Optional garnish:
- Sliced strawberries
- Sunflower seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Fresh mint leaves
Instructions
Cook farro:
- Combine farro and broth or water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook covered 20 minutes, or until farro is tender. Drain excess liquid (if needed), and set aside.
Steam vegetables:
- In the meantime, steam the vegetables. Fill a pot with enough water to just barely touch the bottom of a steamer basket placed inside the pot. Add asparagus and green beans to the steamer basket and cook over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, or until vibrant green and tender. Stir in frozen peas and cook 2 minutes, or until warmed through. Turn off the heat and set aside. (See note 2 for microwave steaming option.)
Prepare the dressing:
- Whisk tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), garlic, and salt and pepper. Gradually add water 2 tablespoons at a time and whisk until the dressing is thinned to a consistency that is smooth and pourable. Set aside.
Prepare the salad:
- Combine cooked farro, steamed vegetables, chickpeas, avocado, and radishes on a large serving platter. Drizzle tahini dressing on top and gently toss if desired. Garnish with strawberries, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and mint leaves if desired.
Notes
- Farro: Substitute 3 cups cooked farro (or another prepared grain, such as quinoa) if desired. Skip step 1 if using pre-cooked grains.
- Steaming: Use a colander if you don't have a steamer basket. You can also steam vegetables in the microwave. Rinse asparagus and green beans with water and add them to a microwave-safe bowl (without drying). Cover with plastic wrap or a silicone cover, leaving a small opening to vent. Microwave 6 minutes, or until vibrant and tender. Add frozen peas and stir until warmed through.
- Making ahead: Prepare farro, steamed vegetables, and tahini dressing up to 3 days in advance. Store in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Dressing may thicken in the fridge. To thin, gradually stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Assemble the salad immediately before serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Note avocado will brown but is still okay to eat.
- Vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Gluten-free: Substitute quinoa for farro.
- Nutrition facts are estimates only and do not include optional ingredients for garnish.
Pinning this salad for later because it looks LOVELY!
Thanks so much, Tara! Let me know if you try it. 🙂
This looks just amazing! and that dressing...yum!
This is my kind of salad! So many goodies in there, and so hearty and colorful! I love it!
This is one of the best salads I have ever tried. It's so delicious and my family super loved it. It is a must-try for everyone. It was easy and healthy.
Love anything with tahini!
Me too! It's one of those things I always need to have in my pantry.
I just received the newsletter with this recipe and at first I just wanted to delete it unread. I'm just not a salad person at all. The occasional simple side salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, some lettuce or pesto pasta salad are actually the only kinds of salad I ever liked. For some reason I clicked on the mail anyway... then I saw the picture... and now I don't know how this happened but damn I'm craving a salad, this salad to be exact. You certainly worked a little miracle here 😀
Jessy, this makes me so happy, you don't even know! 😀 There are so many times I feel like a salad isn't going to satisfy, but I also love them for spring! Especially hearty salads with whole grains and creamy dressing. Sometimes it's nice to have some warm veggies, too. Hope you enjoy this recipe if you try it!
This is one of the most beautiful salads I've ever seen. And the dressing sounds so tangy and delish. I will definitely share!
Thanks so much, Bridget! You can't go wrong with all these ingredients in season right now.
I am seriously drooling... you've got ALL the good stuff in there! I'm so happy to see farro being used as well, it's such a fabulous grain! Beautiful shots too! 🙂
Farro is one of my favorite grains. So delicious with spring fruits and veggies. Thank you!
Yum! I love this idea!!
Thanks, Erin!
Gorgeous photos! I love all of the bright colors in this beautiful salad. Also love Farro! Can't wait to try 🙂
Thanks, Christine! Farro is just the greatest. So nutty and chewy. Yum!
This is so gorgeous! I've been loving farro lately and I love the flavours you added to this. Also...a month's worth of recipes in one day is inspiring! I'm lucky if I can get two done. I need to get more organized. I know what you mean about balancing cooking on the fly and always meal planning and batch cooking, both have their benefits but sometimes it is nice to make random recipes!
Ha, thanks Deryn! I like set high expectations—but so many times, I'm also lucky to just get one or two recipes done in a day. You never know what the kitchen gods have in store for you until you start cooking and shooting. 🙂
I often say simple is best, but I 100% agree with you here~sometimes more is more. This salad is absolutely gorgeous, and I imagine it tastes incredible too. I'm already dreaming up a gluten-free version (with sorghum) in my head. Yum!!!
Ohh it would be amazing with sorghum! I'd love to try that next. More is definitely more with this one! 🙂
This is seriously GORGEOUS. And full of all my faves. Can’t wait to make it!
Thanks, Lorie! Hope you enjoy it.
Looks so colorful and delicious! Any dressing with tahini has my name written all over it. 😉
I agree. Not sure if I could go on without tahini in my life. 🙂
This looks really delish!
Thanks, Amy!
It's been a while since I've seen a salad quite this beautiful! It looks so enticing with that creamy sauce and such a wonderful array of vegetables.
Thanks so much, Alisa! You gotta love spring produce!