Aegean Sun Chickpea & Farro Salad
This vibrant, textural salad is a complete meal in a bowl, engineered for peak nutrition and flavor. Chewy pearled farro and hearty chickpeas form a satisfying base, while toasted walnuts add a welcome crunch. The magic is in the dressing: a portion of ripe avocado is mashed directly into the lemon-dill vinaigrette, creating a luxuriously creamy coating without a drop of dairy. It’s a robust, no-cook hero for a sophisticated and satisfying lunch.
- Total Time35 minutes
- Yield4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the Creamy Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette:
- 1 large ripe avocado (halved and pitted)
- 1/3 cup 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon (zested and juiced (about 3 tbsp juice))
- 1 clove garlic (finely grated or minced)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
For the Salad Assembly:
- 1/2 cup 95 g dry pearled farro
- 2 15-ounce / 425 g cans no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
- 2 Persian cucumbers (chopped (about 1.5 cups))
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 large red bell pepper (roasted, peeled, and chopped)
- 1/2 small red onion (very thinly sliced)
- 1 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)
- 1/3 cup 40 g raw walnut halves
Instructions
- Cook the Farro: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add pearled farro and simmer 15–25 minutes (per package) until tender with a pleasant chew. Drain well and spread on a baking sheet to cool to room temperature.
- Toast the Walnuts: Meanwhile, toast walnut halves in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, 3–5 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate to cool, then roughly chop.
- Make the Vinaigrette: In a large serving bowl, mash half the avocado until mostly smooth. Add lemon zest and juice (about 3 Tbsp), garlic, Dijon, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; whisk to form a thick paste.
- Emulsify: While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble: Add cooled farro, well-drained chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, roasted red pepper, and red onion; gently fold to coat evenly.
- Finish: Dice the remaining avocado half. Add with parsley, dill, and toasted walnuts; fold gently once or twice. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon.
- Serve: Divide among 4 bowls and serve immediately for best color and texture.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: The farro can be cooked up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best results, fully assemble the salad just before serving.
- Nut-Free Variation: For a nut-free version, simply omit the walnuts and substitute with 1/4 cup of toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
- Roasting Peppers: To roast your own pepper, place it directly on a gas stove burner, turning with tongs until blackened on all sides. Alternatively, broil on high in the oven. Place the blackened pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. The skin will then peel off easily.
Nutrition Facts (per serving: 1/4 recipe): Calories: 594 kcal | Total Fat: 32.8 g (Saturated Fat: 4.3 g) | Total Carbs: 55.7 g (Dietary Fiber: 17.3 g, Added Sugar: 0 g) | Protein: 13.8 g | Sodium: 172 mg
These values are approximate and may vary based on ingredients and preparation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Modern Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Calories: 594