Peppery arugula and roasted tomatoes tossed with chewy farro, creamy cannellini beans, and a lemon vinaigrette. The whole farro burrata salad is plated with a smear of pesto and topped with fresh, creamy burrata cheese.

Summer is HERE and it’s time for this bright and fresh salad! This is a perfect summer meal. Hearty enough for a dinner, but still light and healthy, warm farro salad with pesto, burrata, roasted tomatoes, and arugula is my new obsession. Farro Salad with Roasted Tomato, Arugula, and Burrata may sound complicated, but it is so easy to put together and there is no chopping involved!

What is Farro?

This delicious and chewy little grain is new to me. In the last year, I have ordered two different dishes at two different restaurants that featured farro in the dish, and I loved them both! I knew I wanted to make a recipe that featured it, but first I needed to learn about it…so I decided to do a little research.

The Italian word farro is a term for three species of hulled wheat: spelt, emmer, and einkorn. Hulled wheat is wheat that cannot be threshed.

Emmer is the most common variety of farro grown in Italy, specifically in certain regions of Tuscany and Abruzzo.

This whole grain is packed with nutrients, nutty flavor, and a chewy texture. Pearled Italian farro is what I have been using in my recipes. This is what you’ll find in most American grocery stores. Although it doesn’t have as much flavor as other varieties, it has the shortest cook time (which is appealing to me!)

Pearled Italian farro in a stainless steel pot

How to Roast Grape Tomatoes

grape tomatoes on a cookie sheet with olive oil being poured on top

roasted grape tomatoes covered in olive oil and oregano

To roast the grape tomatoes I washed them and put them on a cookie sheet, then I tossed them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. They cooked in a 400-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes until they were softened and a little caramelized on the bottom.

Homemade Lemon Dijon Vinegrette

ingredients for a vinaigrette in a mason jar

A few simple ingredients from your pantry and fridge come together to make a zesty vinaigrette that tastes great on greens with rotisserie chicken, as a chicken marinade for the grill, drizzled on roasted Brussels sprouts, and of course, as a topping for a fresh summer salad. So mix up a batch in a mason jar for this recipe, store the leftovers in the fridge, and use it for a salad later in the week.

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
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tablespoon of olive oil poured into a mason jar

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Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

Course Dinner, lunch, Salad

Prep Time 5

Servings 8

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pink salt or sea salt
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
black pepper to taste

Instructions

Put all ingredients into a mason jar with a tight fitting lid.
Shake vigurously until well mixed and it is a pale yellow color.
Store in the jar in your refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, you may have to remove it and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to be a pourable consistensy. Shake well before serving.

Notes

This dressing is amazing on salads, grilled vegetables, or grilled chicken or fish.

Homemade Pesto vs. Store Bought Pesto

Homemade pesto is delicious and bursting with fresh basil flavor and on pasta, I think it’s better. When I make this recipe I usually just used jarred pesto because it’s faster. It works really well and seasons this salad with an extra burst of flavor. My two favorite store-bought pestos are the Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto from Costco or ALDI’s Priano Alla Genovese Pesto Sauce. They are both amazing for the price.

What is Burrata?

Another ingredient that is fairly new to me and I don’t know how I ever lived without it! This is my favorite part of this salad, it really makes this salad special.

Buratta is a type of fresh cheese made from a mix of mozzarella and cream. The outer layer is made of mozzarella, while the inside layer is a soft, stringy mixture of mozzarella and fresh cream. When you cut open a Burrata, the buttery cream and mozzarella mixture oozes out. The filling has a rich flavor and must be eaten immediately. Burrata is usually served fresh at room temperature and pairs well with salads, crusty bread, and fresh tomatoes with olive oil.

farro salad with roasted tomatoes, arugula, and burrata

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5 from 4 votes