Grilled Corn and Farro Salad
My husband’s favorite food might be corn on the cob. A fact that I completely forget until July rolls around and I find myself buying 12 ears of corn at a time just to keep up with his habit. It’s a simple request– cook freshly shucked corn, slather with lots of butter, salt and pepper and he is SO darn happy.
Me? Well, in traditional food lover form, I prefer my corn a tad more trendy. Charred kernels with farro, pistachios, juicy ripe tomatoes, olives and lots and lots of basil. I need texture! I need flavor! I need excitement. Thankfully, this salad checks all of the boxes.
This one couldn’t be easier to put together. Char the corn on the grill (or a grill pan/broiler) then remove the kernels. Toss with the other ingredients and a yummy lemon-garlic dressing and that’s it! I tend to share a lot of simple salad recipes this time of year. Ones that are easy to take to picnics, potlucks, gatherings, lunches– you name it.
No matter what kind of friend get-together we attend, I almost always bring a salad. It’s a way to guarantee that BL and I have something vegetarian-friendly to eat and it also encourages others to grab a scoop of veggies with their meal.
I know some of the ingredients might not sound like they fit (hi olives, looking at you) but trust it. I promise that the combination of chewy, briny, salty, nutty, juicy works so well together.
I think this one tastes best at room-temperature. If you make it ahead of time, throw everything together except for the basil, pistachios and dressing. Pull out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you are planning to eat, then dress. Add in the basil and pistachios right before ready to serve, then toss together and eat.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Grilled Corn and Farro Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked farro
- 3 ears corn, shucked
- 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/2 cup halved kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Bring 5 cups of water and a large pinch of salt to a boil. Add the farro and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until farro is al dente about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.Â
- While the farro is cooking, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (or, preheat a grill to medium-high.) Rub the corn kernels with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning with tongs, until charred, about 10 minutes. Cut off the kernels and add to the farro bowl.Â
- Add the chopped tomatoes, olives, pistachios and basil to the corn and farro bowl.Â
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dijon mustard, minced garlic clove, paprika and lemon juice until garlic is dissolved. I use my microplane to get the garlic clove very, very minced. Slowly whisk in the remaining olive oil along with a pinch of salt and pepper.Â
- Add the dressing to the farro bowl and toss well; season to taste, if needed and serve.Â