Spring Farro Salad with Sweet Peas and Radishes
Spring Farro Salad bridges the gap between hearty and fresh. Nutty farro gets tossed with sweet peas, crisp watermelon radishes, toasted walnuts, and a pile of fresh herbs, then coated in a bright lemon-miso dressing. It’s textured, balanced, and built for spring when you want something lighter but still substantial.
This recipe is inspired by my absolute favorite Kale Salad with Radicchio and Farro, but reworked with spring produce and brighter, fresher flavors in mind.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It hits all the right notes: chewy, crunchy, fresh, and savory. The farro gives the salad weight, the peas bring pops of sweetness, the radishes add a sharp, crisp bite, and the walnuts round everything out with their richness. The lemon miso dressing ties it all together with brightness and umami. It’s sturdy enough to make ahead, holds up well for meal prep, and works as either a side or main dish.
Ingredient Notes
Farro. Adds chew and makes the salad filling. Look for quick cooking pearled farro.
Peas. Frozen peas work great here, but you can also use fresh. They add sweetness and a pop of green.
Watermelon Radishes. Crisp and mild with a beautiful color. You can also substitute with regular red radishes.
Walnuts. Toasted for better flavor and crunch
Parsley. Adds freshness
Preserved Lemon. Adds bright pops of citrusy, umami funk. Optional but really great. You can substitute with a 1/2 c of grated parmesan cheese instead to add a similar salty, umami depth.
Lemon Juice. Brings brightness to the dressing
White Miso. Adds depth and savory balance
Olive Oil. Rounds out the dressing.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Cook the farro in well salted water
- Toast the walnuts, either in the oven or in a dry pan, until golden and fragrant for best flavor
- Toss the salad with dressing while the farro is still slightly warm so it absorbs more flavor
- Taste and adjust lemon and salt before serving
Equipment Needed
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Spring Farro Salad with Sweet Peas and Radishes
Ingredients
- 1 c pearled farro
- 1 c frozen peas
- 1 c toasted
- 5 oz watermelon radish from ~2 small watermelon radishes
- ¼ preserved lemon optional but really great
- flat leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp white miso
- Juice from 1 lemon
- ½ c extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Add the farro to a medium pot and cover with a few inches of salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer, and cook uncovered until tender. (Cooking time will vary depending on the type- pearled farro cooks the fastest in about 15-20 minutes). Drain and let cool slightly.
- While the farro cooks, microwave the peas until thawed. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet or in the oven. Slice the watermelon radishes into thin matchsticks and roughly chop the parsley. If using preserved lemon, scoop out and discard the flesh, then finely chop the peel.
- In a small jar, whisk together the miso and the lemon juice until smooth. Add the olive oil and salt, then cover and shake until emulsified.
- Add the warm farro to a large bowl along with the peas, walnuts, radish, parsley, and preserved lemon (if using). Pour over the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and adjust with more salt if needed.