Oh hi. Welcome to my lunchtime obsession.
And I know. This is definitely one of those websites where we say things like “obsession” and “SO GOOD” and “omg wowwww” quite a bit.
But like, truly. This grain bowl? Ob-sessed.
And I know. It’s silly to be obsessed with a grain bowl. It’s just a bunch of veggies, a grain, and some dressing.
But man do I look forward to it every day when I’m eating it for lunch during work. And I thank my lucky stars I was feeling motivated enough the Sunday before to make a big batch to feed me quick, nutritious, delicious lunches all week long.
Do you farro? It’s a revelation for me. So much better than quinoa (IMO!) and just a lil more fancy than rice. It’s so chewy, so toothsome, and just really great in a salad like this. It’s a whole grain wheat, so it’s not gluten free, but it is oh-so very delicious.
As for the veggies/additions in this salad, my faves are:
- Cucumber because I love that crunch
- Red pepper again for crunch (and sometimes I go roasted red pepper if I’m feelin’ extra fancy)
- Chickpeas for their creamy proteinness
- Shallot sliced real thin (or green onion… just something with a lil bite)
- Kalamata olives for something tangy and fun (omit if you’re not an olive person, but feel free to double the amount if you’re an olive fiend like me!)
- Grape tomatoes because you can find good ones pretty much any time of year
Feel free to pick and choose your Ultimate Veggie and Topping Lineup here, but those right there are my go-to.
As for dressing? I like this Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette. Nay. I love this Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette. And I sometimes make it extra thick by adding a bit more hummus so that it clings to the farro in just a very seductive and luxurious way.
Have I made you excited about this grain bowl yet?
What if I told you that I like to add a little bit of green to the party for even more health and fun?
Some baby kale and fresh chopped parsley is excellent, but I feel like spinach, basil, or mint would be great too. These are going to be “right before you eat it” additions, so they don’t get slimy and gross sitting in the fridge with their other grain bowl friends.
To meal prep, I store all of the grain bowl + veg + chickpeas in the same container all mixed up. Then, when I’m ready to eat, I scoop some out, add some baby kale and parsley, and drench it in my dressing.
Easy peasy, really filling, super delicious, and just a very quick meal prep option if you hate doing it like I do!
Let’s win lunch together now, shall we?
PrintMeal Prep Farro Grain Bowl
A super quick, easy, nutritious, filling vegan meal prep farro grain bowl! Endlessly customizable so you’re never bored of this stunner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 5-6 servings
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 1/2 English cucumber, sliced or diced
- 1/2 large red bell pepper (or any color you fancy), diced
- 1 small shallot, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced or torn
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper
- Creamy Balsamic Dressing
- To serve: some sort of green (baby kale, regular kale, spinach, etc) and some sort of herb (parsley, basil, mint, a combo of the three, etc.)
Instructions
- I like to pre-soak my farro for even quicker cooking the next day. It always seems like a major thing to soak a grain the night before, but if you add a cup of farro to a container, fill with water, and let it sit covered in the fridge overnight, your cooking time will be cut in half the next day. Huzzah!
- Cook your farro according to package instructions (for me and my pre-soaked farro: I put my drained farro in a pot with 3 cups of water. I brought it up to a boil, reduced the heat to medium-low, and cooked uncovered for 10 minutes. Then I just drained the excess water).
- Pour your farro into a large bowl or onto a large baking sheet to cool.
- Meanwhile, prep your veggies: slice your cucumber, dice your red bell pepper, slice your shallot, pit and slice your olives, slice your tomatoes, and drain and rinse your chickpeas.
- When the farro is cooler (not CRAZY hot, but it can still be a little warm), combine it with the vegetables and chickpeas. Mix to combine, and season with a small, three-finger pinch of salt and pepper.
- Store your farro/veg mixture in a container by itself. Then, when you’re ready to serve, mix a few spoonfuls of it with your greens/herbs of choice and a few glugs of your dressing!
Excellent recipe, and couldn’t have been better timing as I had some farro just cooked in the fridge, and some grape tomatoes ready to go. The only change I made was with the dressing; I used Annie’s Goddess dressing, which I love (it has tahini), especially for steamed kale. Thank you!