Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Feta and Avocado
This satisfying vegetarian salad recipe features warm whole grains, roasted cauliflower, fresh greens and bold Mediterranean flavors. It packs well for lunch!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
Trying to eat better this year? I know, it’s extra-hard when it’s freezing cold outside and delivery pizza is just one call away. This warm, fresh yet hearty salad is the perfect solution. It packs well for lunch, too.
I really love the combination of garlicky farro with roasted cauliflower and salty feta and olives. Farro is an ancient grain related to wheat that you should be able to find in the health section of grocery stores. It’s nutty in flavor, freezes and defrosts well, and offers some heft to salads.
Fresh greens, sliced avocado, and lemon round it out. This seasonless salad is bursting with bold Mediterranean flavors.
You might recognize this salad from the archives. We have a lot of new visitors this year (hello and welcome!), and I’m trying to make sure my favorite recipes have appealing photos.
I love revisiting existing recipes because they give me more creative energy to devote to new recipes. I’m working on a new batch this week and can’t wait to share the results with you.
This recipe was inspired by a roasted cauliflower and farro salad I found in La Jolla, California. Four summers ago, I happened to be in San Diego at the same time as my parents. My friend and I met up with them for lunch at George’s, an unassuming restaurant with a faded, burgundy awning over the entrance.
We walked inside to discover an incredible view—the restaurant is built into the side of a cove that overlooks the sparkling blue Pacific. It was surreal since I’m accustomed to greeting my parents at home in flat, landlocked Oklahoma. (I’m not knocking Oklahoma—I love it for reasons that don’t include seaside views.)
My friend and I were feeling a little rough after a late night out, but that cauliflower salad brought me back to life. When I recreated it at home, I added some sun-dried tomatoes and greens to my version and loved how it turned out.
Change It Up
I love this salad exactly as written, but it’s a flexible recipe. For extra protein, stir some cooked chickpeas or lentils into the farro, or top your salad with a fried egg.
You could also add a handful of chopped leafy fresh herbs, like parsley, basil or dill. Other options include chopped red onions or freshly toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds.
You could roast broccoli instead of cauliflower. Skip the olives if you’re not into them. See the recipe notes for suggestions on how to make this salad gluten free, and/or vegan/dairy free.
Please let me know how you like this salad in the comments. Your feedback keeps me going.
Craving more hearty, bold salads like this one? Don’t miss my Greek kale salad, Jessica’s Marinated Chickpeas, Greek Lentil Salad and Arugula and Wild Rice Salad.
This salad is a meal in itself, but you could round it out with a warm cup of lentil soup, butternut squash soup or creamy cauliflower soup.
Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Feta and Avocado
This satisfying vegetarian salad recipe features warm whole grains, roasted cauliflower, fresh greens and bold Mediterranean flavors. It packs well for lunch, too! Recipe yields 4 hearty salads.
Ingredients
Roasted cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (scale back or omit if sensitive to spice)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Garlicky farro
- 1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Everything else
- ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed, half sliced into small rounds and the rest halved lengthwise
- ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and roughly chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about ½ lemon), plus more for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 avocado, sliced into thin strips
- 4+ handfuls leafy greens (spring greens, spinach, arugula or baby kale are all good choices)
Instructions
- To roast the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cauliflower florets with the olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt, and arrange it in an even layer across the pan. Roast for 25 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and deeply golden on the edges.
- To cook the farro: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed farro with at least three cups water (enough water to cover the farro by a couple of inches). Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook until the farro is tender to the bite but still pleasantly chewy. (Pearled farro will take around 15 minutes; unprocessed farro will take 25 to 40 minutes.) Drain off the excess water and mix in the olive oil, garlic and salt. Set aside.
- In a large serving bowl, toss together the roasted cauliflower, cooked farro, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Divide the avocado and greens between four dinner plates. Top with a generous amount of the cauliflower and farro salad. Finish the plates with an extra squeeze of lemon juice or drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Serve promptly.
Notes
Storage suggestions: Leftovers should keep well for several days. Store greens separately and slice the avocado just before serving.
Change it up: If you can’t find farro, spelt berries or wheat berries would be great substitutions. You might have to cook those grains longer.
Make it vegan: Skip the feta. You might want to add some extra olives to make up for it.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This was amazing! I had cooked farro in the fridge and it all came together practically on its own as I unwound from a horrific rush hour traffic night.
I added a touch of dried bruschetta mix to boost the tomato flavors and definitely don’t skip on the fresh lemon juice! I’m not sure there will be leftovers for tomorrows lunch but I’ll try! Didn’t see the capers comment so next time I’ll do that since I’m not an olive fan.
Thanks!!
Christine, so glad this dinner made your day a little better! Thank you for commenting.
Yum!
This. Was. Amazing.
THANK YOU!
D
Hooray! Thanks, Danielle!
Greetings from Denmark! I came across your site by accident and I am now an addict and a subscriber :-) I’m trying this recipe tonight, substituting farro with Pearl barley. I look forward to trying out more of your stuff
Welcome, Perle! Thank you for saying hello! I hope you loved this dish.
Wow. sigh. Bunny blood?
It is true that i you put a bit of blood meal or bone meal in with your transplants, that should help keep away gophers for a bit. I suspect sprinkling a row beside or around the garden will also help deter most bunnies (and you gotta keep ’em all out, cause if ONE figures it out, it’ll go tell it’s brothers and sisters) … maybe mix it in a big canister of cayene pepper and put it around your garden at least once a week until the lil ones get the point and run from your plantings to find where the wild things grow. I watch where they travel and try to leave a wild patch of land before my garden. Also, leave an area open that predatory birds can swoop down; and with these things you should keep the bunny population at a reasonable number, yet still be able to enjoy watching them. Just my opinion…
Just had this for dinner! This may be bananas but I made it with freekeh (because I had it…not that I had ever eaten it before or had any clue what it would taste like) instead of farro (because I couldn’t find it) and it was delicious!!! I think next time I’ll use sauteed shallots or roasted onions instead of the garlic as it was a little too garlicky for me but it was still phenomenal! Thanks! In fact, my husband is even more thankful than me as you’re blog has got me so excited about cooking that he comes home to delicious meals almost every night!
Hi Melissa! Freekeh sounds like a perfect sub. So glad you two are enjoying my recipes, yay!
I had a head of cauliflower in the fridge and no plans for it, so I entered cauliflower into your search box and BOOM! Just perfect. Farro is hard to find, so I’ve used barley before as a substitute. But tonight I used farro. Thanks for the great recipe.
Um, YES! I made this recipe one day when I had cauliflower and farrow and didn’t know what to do with it.. holy wow! I skipped the feta for dairy sensitivity’s sake, and it was STILL full of awesome flavors. I could have eaten it every day for two weeks. So tasty! Love the combo of olives and sun-dried tomatoes! Thank you for this great recipe!
great recipe! you’re absolutely correct that it packs well + makes for a convenient lunch to eat at work. i will definitely be making this again.
Made this tonight for dinner. Another winner. Thanks Kate!
My comment is about two years late to the party based on the original posting. However, I just made this dish this week and wanted to make a suggestion for all the folks with tomato allergies or tomato intolerances (I have the I can eat raw but not cooked tomato variety) – you can still make this dish! You can roast some red bell peppers with olive oil while the cauliflower is roasting (which is what I did) then chop them or you can use store bought roasted red bell peppers in oil (I have seen them in a glass jar at Whole Foods) instead of the oil packed sun dried tomatoes. If you want your farro to have the pretty redish look seen in Kate’s gorgeous photo, just puree them bit before you mix them in.
Thanks again Kate for your sensitivity to many varieties of dietary restrictions!
Kate- I made this recipe for dinner tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I love the combination of the warm grains with the saltier olives and sun-dried tomatoes. It also looks beautiful! Thanks for another winner recipe!
This salad was absolutely delicious. With the other strong flavors, it was a little difficult to taste the cauliflower; it was more of a carrier of flavor. Regardless, it was a pleaser for the whole family. We definitely intend to make again.
Thank you, Margaret! I’m glad to hear it. Roasted cauliflower goes great with so many flavors, probably because it is a great carrier.
I made this last pm and I have to say it was delicious. Only change I made was to lightly sauté the garlic in the evoo before adding to the ferro.
Thank you for the recipe and will be passing it on to my daughter.
My neighbor, who kept a great garden, and had grown up on a farm recommended fox urine to keep the rabbits away. My local garden store and even Home Depot carries the spray. It does not smell wonderful but it works. Reapply after rain.
I just found your website. My carnivore husband and I both really loved this for an easy weeknight dinner.
One of my absolute favorite lunches- cook a big batch and it lasts all week with fresh greens and avocado! Serious win.
Soooo good! I’m obsessed with your blog and make at least 2 recipes a week from here. Just wanted to give you some positive reinforcement! Thanks for all the great whole recipes…keep them coming!
Thank you, Nicole! This is so nice to hear :)
So, so good – exactly as it’s written. My husband, who isn’t generally a fan of sun-dried tomatoes absolutely loved it, too. After dinner he said (and I concurred), “it’s definitely one of the best dishes we’ve made in the last few months.” Seriously spectacular – but so are pretty much all of the recipes I’ve made from your site. :)
Thank you so much, Tina! I’m so glad you found my blog.
This dish is amazing! I subbed roasted cherry tomatoes for-dried the sun-dried because I needed to use them up. So good..I am making it again!
Great! Roasted tomatoes sound smoky and sweet. Yum!
I have made this recipe for my family probably 8 times in the last 6 weeks. My healthy-eating husband loves it, my 17-year old son (who can eat anything but will eat gigantic quantities of truly delicious food when given the opportunity-this recipe qualifies) loves it, my 15-year old daughter who will not eat sugar, cheese or anything she deems unhealthy, loves it and my 12 year old, who decided to be a vegetarian when he was 8 and decided to become vegan about 2 months ago, BEGS for it! Win-win! EVERY RECIPE I have made from your website has been so so tasty; all have been hits in our household. Keep up the good work. Yours is the only blog I have found in which my family has loved every single one of the recipes. Can’t wait to try more! Thank you!
Wow! This is so great, Julie! I’m so glad everyone enjoys this, especially with a picky crowd like yours. :)
Made a big double recipe of the Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup tonight. Another winner!
Oh my goodness, this was absolutely phenomenal! I had to make a couple of changes out of necessity. My husband and I don’t care for sun-dried tomatoes, so I used fresh, and I couldn’t find a nice avocado, so I did without. It was a quick weeknight meal full of fabulous flavours and got a double thumbs-up from hubby, which I always consider a win :). Thanks!
Great! I’m glad your variation worked so well, Denise. It sounds delicious.
OMG i cannot wait to make this!
Let me know if you do!
My new favorite recipe! Charred the cauliflower on the grill, added some capers. Thank you so so much.
Yum! Charred cauli sounds great.
Great flavors!
Excellent recipe!! I made it for a dinner party for 4 last night, where we had two visiting vegetarians with all sorts of food allergies and strong likes and dislikes (no mushrooms! no eggs! no moldy cheeses!), and it was easy to prepare and very delicious. Thanks!
That’s great, David! I try to make my recipes adaptable to varying food needs. I am happy this was a hit for you! I appreciate your review.
This has been one of my favorite recipes of yours yet! I subbed buckwheat for farro and it went along perfectly. So much good things and good flavor in one bowl. Husband approved!
Wonderful! Thank you, Cynthia for sharing.
I absolutely LOVED this!! And at 50 years old- WHO KNEW I loved roasted cauliflower!!!!
Fun to make- and very tasty!
Thank you, Michelle! I’m glad you found something new you liked. :)
This is a wonderful hearty salad that works great as a main! I added cilantro to serve. I’m going to add roasted pistachios next time!
Sounds delicious! Thanks for your review.
This salad is now in our regular rotation; it’s great!
Great! Thanks, Emily.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful dish! I made it tonight and found it full of flavour. I also added some chicken to it for added protein. Amazing and I will be making it again and again!
Great, Mary!
A picture perfect lunch!
Thank you, Gaby!!
Perfect January office lunch ! Thank you Kate !
You’re welcome!
Our family absolutely loves this salad! I’m fact, even before it popped into my email, I was already planning to make it this week. Tastes amazing and so satisfying! I like the new suggestions of adding more protein; I’ll toss some chickpeas in and/or top with an egg. Thanks for creating such delicious recipes!
You’re welcome! I’m glad this is a family favorite.
What makes your recipes so attractive is that you always offer other add-ins or subtractions. Farro is a new fave with us and to have everything available (right now) in the cupboard means supper time tonite! Thanks again for easy reading, darn good recipes (made from past experiences with your column)! Doesn’t hurt having the healthiest look around (especially your hair!)
I’m so happy to hear you think so, Judith! I do my best when there seems to be a good alternative. You are also so sweet! Thank you for the compliment.
George’s always has some version of the farro salad. I get it every time I go there :) Thanks for the inspiration to try it at home!
You’re welcome, Heather!
What a delicious salad! I substituted roasted red pepper for the sun dried tomatoes. Added lemon zest and lots of lemon juice…with the little bit of heat from the red pepper flakes…woohoo tasty. Thanks for a another winner recipe, Kate!
Thank you for sharing, TJ!
It was delicious! I roasted a few garlic cloves on the side of the cauliflower then used for the farro.
Thank you for sharing your thought, Tak!
Made this tonight. Few points of feedback:
1. Texture variation was on point.
2. Flavor variation was on point.
3. Left meal feeling very satisfied.
4. I was literally giddy eating this. Every bite was superb. So darn yummy.
5. I used an organic sprouted rice and quinoa medley from tru roots instead of the farro as the store was out of farro.
6. Served it as a deconstructed salad for the kids to “build their own” as they were hesitant.
I love the way you listed out what you loved about this recipe, Rebecca! Thank you so much for all your detail. I really like the deconstructed idea!
Oh my goodness! This is has been one of my two go-to salads for two solid years now. I craved salads while I was pregnant and made this one a million times. Seriously, it is one of THE BEST salads I have ever had, and it ALWAYS hits the spot. I don’t put the olives on it, but one thing I love to do is drizzle a little of the oil from the sun dried tomato jar on the salad… yum. It is so easy to prep on a Sunday and assemble at work for lunch, and I make enough for a few days. Post pregnancy, I sometimes cut the grain and/or avocado for less calories and it is still just as good.
Love to hear that, Callie! Thanks for sharing how much you love it and your favorite way to have this salad. I appreciate your review!
Made it last night and it was yummy. The cauliflower has a nice almost buttery taste. I have some leftovers for lunch and it’s only 9 and I’m thinking about a little munch. Thanks, Kate.
You’re welcome, Sue!
Just made this wonderful, filling “salad” bowl. I cooked the farro with vegetable broth and roasted the cauliflower without oil–just a little OJ. I am a Nutritarian so try my best to stay away from added fats. The veggie broth has sodium in it so no need to add any more salt. I think some roasted pine nuts might be nice on top too!
Thanks for all of the recipes that you post. I love trying new things.
Thank you for your review, Diana! I’m happy you tried this.
This was amazing. . .and even better the next day for lunch! I warmed it up and put it over a warm tortilla, with spinach and homemade guacamole. My tastebuds were doing a happy dance! Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Happy dance for your tastebuds, I love it! Thanks for your review, Fran.
I made this fabulous salad yesterday. The combination of flavors is SO delicious. My son loved it too – and he’s super hard to please. It’s great warm and I’ve just had it cold for lunch – fab!!! Thank you Kate :)
Great to hear! I’m happy he loved this one, Ethna!
I love your recipes.Thank you so much.I am not really vegan, I am on a starch diet. No animal anything,no meat, dairy, including eggs and honey. Have lost lots of unneeded weight, lowered blood preasure as wellas many other health improvements. My Doctor loves it. However I can use most of your recipes, and love the varierity it lend to my diet.I would really like to have the Tehini subsitute recipe.
I’m glad you are loving the recipes! I’m sorry I don’t have a tahini substitute for you!
Made this last night as a side to a Filet mignon. Just perfect. I left out the cheese due to my own preference. The salad is hearty and filling without being bulky! What a great change from a salad and baked potato!!! Will def make again!!
I’m happy you liked it, Shana! Thanks for your review.
I made this lovely dish for dinner two nights ago. So much a success, my fuss-pot 17yr old took it to school for lunch *two* days in a row.
I doubled the garlic :o) and mixed everything together whilst still warm.
And, just emailed the recipe to my 19yr old who’s off at university in Montreal. “Sounds like my kind of recipe,” said he.
Thanks.
You’re welcome, Lois!
This is something my wife would really love! Thank you, great recipe!
You’re welcome, Bryan!
This was fantastic. Definitely a yummy go-to lunch or dinner option. Thank you
You’re welcome, Jaime!
I use your blog all the time and I bought your cookbook. I have found many amazing recipes, actually I didn’t even enjoy cooking so much before I found your page. Thank you for your amazing work!
This being said, I tried this salad with quinoa and I have to say it was not my favorite. It was just that most of your recipes are very flavorful, but this one was kind of blunt for me. Maybe it was the quinoa? It was just as if something was missing – it wasn’t bad at all, it just wasn’t a salad which I will cook again soon. But it felt healthy so that was nice! Of course not all recipes are made for everyone, so I am looking forward to trying other ones which I’m sure I will love! :)
I’m glad you enjoy cooking now! I’m sorry this recipe isn’t your favorite. Thanks for trying it though!