Featured in our Summer 2025 Food + Entertaining article, A Refreshing Poolside Lunch, this farro salad from Heidi Swanson’s Near and Far is so appealing—made with walnuts, bunches of alliums, and golden raisins, all dressed in a sweet and acidic vinaigrette—that even a whole pound of olives (yes, a pound!) couldn’t keep us away.
Mostly Olive Salad with Farro
Course: Salads6
servingsIngredients
1¼ cups whole or semi-pearled farro
3 cups water
1 pinch fine-grain sea salt
1 pound fancy green olives (preferably Castelvetrano), rinsed then pitted
4 to 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped toasted walnut halves
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and chopped roughly
1 bunch chives
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 jalapeño, minced (seeds included or discarded, as you prefer)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1⁄3 cup golden raisins, chopped
1 handful shaved pecorino or
Parmesan, for serving
6 dollops ricotta, for serving (optional)
Directions
- In a saucepan, combine the farro, water and ½ teaspoon of salt. Set over medium-high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat from a boil to a simmer, and simmer gently (still covered) for about 15 minutes if semi-pearled, longer if whole. Cook until tender but not mushy. Drain off any water and set aside.
- Coarsely chop the olives and place them in a bowl along with the olive oil, walnuts, green onions, chives, red pepper flakes, jalapeño, honey, lemon juice, raisins and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir well and set aside (or refrigerate) until ready to serve.
- If you’ve refrigerated the olive mixture, bring it back to room temperature before the final toss.
- Combine the farro and olive mixture in a bowl and mix to combine. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as needed.
- Serve topped with thin strips of shaved cheese and dollops of ricotta, as desired.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from “Near & Far” by Heidi Swanson