

Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula has a lot going on with relatively few ingredients. It’s chewy, sweet, peppery, salty and vegetarian, and is satisfying for either lunch or dinner.
As summer ends and we transition into Autumn, my thoughts go to heartier dishes.
But in Southern California, the thermometer often gives the lie to the season (it was 90 here on the weekend!), so it pays to have a sheaf of fall salads up your sleeve that won’t weigh you down, but will fill you up.
The Italian grain farro really makes this salad, with its firm, chewy texture and nutty flavor. Dates and mango add sweetness without being sugary, arugula adds a bite of pepper, and capers add a salty spark.
Welcome, fall!
Let’s make Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula.
Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula has a lot going on with relatively few ingredients. It's chewy, sweet, peppery, salty and vegetarian, and is satisfying for either lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 (3.7-ounce) bag Farro
- 4 Medjool dates
- 1 Ataulfo mango (this is sometimes called a champagne mango)
- 1 cup packed arugula leaves
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 2 tablespoons Caesar salad dressing (or Italian dressing or oil and vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 grinds fresh black peppercorns
Directions
- Put the farro in a pot, cover with water by 2 inches, and soak overnight. (This cuts down on the cooking time the next day.) When ready to cook, drain farro, refill water and heat until boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and simmer farro 10 or so minutes, until it is al dente with a nice chew to it. If you have forgotten to soak it overnight, it might take 30 or so minutes to cook. When done, drain in a colander and allow farro to cool.
- Pit and cut (or snip with a kitchen shears) dates into small pieces. If they are too sticky, freeze them for 15-30 minutes before snipping, to make it easier.
- Peel, pit and cut mango flesh into a small dice. Chop arugula leaves if they are large, or leave them whole if they are baby or micro. Drain capers.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cooled farro, dates, mango, arugula and capers. Add dressing, oil and ground pepper. Stir to combine well, taste, and adjust seasoning to your liking.
- Serves 4.
Notes
Recipe source: Dorothy Reinhold / Shockingly Delicious
Note about farro: If you soak the farro overnight, you can cut way down on the cooking time.
If you like this recipe and want to save it, pin the image below to your Pinterest board!
For dinner, we would eat it with grilled or roasted chicken thighs, but it is good with beef, pork or fish, as well!
Want another farro salad?
Farro Chicken Cranberry Arugula Grain Salad
Completely delicious!
This post was first published Sept. 22, 2013, and has been updated.
Look so yummy! cant wait to make this tonight!
Mario,
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
This looks delicious. I’ve never tried farro, so I will try thí tomorrow
Jack,
Once you try farro you will find lots of uses for it, I predict. It’s chewy like barley, and it gives a great heft to grains side dishes and salads.
I love all those flavors! Looks delicious!
I need to try this immediately, it looks so good!
This looks beyond delicious! I love all the flavors going on, so tasty and yummy!
I love all of these flavors! Need to try soon!
This is the perfect salad for my lunch. Oh YUM! Love everything about this recipe! This sounds like something I need to try. I really like
I love mangos! This salad sounds delish!
It’s been way too long since I’ve made farro! This looks delish.
Love how easy this is to make! Such wonderful flavors and textures going on!
Looks so flavorful! Yummy vegetarian recipe.
I love how flavorful it looks! Looks really delish!
Oh wow this is fabulous! Looks so festive, tasty and flavorful recipe, need to make this soon!
I love farrow salads and you can’t beat the combo of mango and arugula. We have the same temp problem here in Florida this time of year.
This salad sounds WONDERFUL, love the flavor combo!
The flavors in this salad sound like a match made in heaven.
I seriously adore all of the flavors in this!!! Fall perfection and the addition of mango is wonderful.
I LOVE dates and arugula, so this salad is right up my alley!
[…] Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula from Shockingly Delicious […]
[…] Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula from Shockingly Delicious […]
I just tried farro this year and think it would taste so amazing with dates – what a great combo!
This salad looks AMAZING. I’ve been on a farro kick, so as you can imagine, I can’t wait to try this!
Yay ! two of my fav ingredients here ! Can’t wait to try this. Date & mangoes together sound heavenly to me!
Interesting combination of flavors! It’s so pretty too!
You had me at dates and mangoes! Yum!
Sarah,
I know, I know…such a great combo!
Dorothy, this look so healthy, vibrant and flavourful! It’s a perfectly hearty dish for fall.
Thanks Nancy!
Farro benefits from vibrant colors and bright flavors like you’ve done here! Great recipe
Thanks Priscilla!
Great colors in this salad! Never cooked farro! Need to do that soon!
Angie,
Yep, you do! It is a little bit like barley…chewy and substantial.
I definitely think this needs to be part of my livened up lunch routine!
Courtney,
Definitely…this will wake up your taste buds!
I recently tried farro for the first time and loved it. Your salad looks fantastic!
Thank you, Martin! I cook up a big batch of it and use it throughout the week for so many things.
Just mouthwatering…looks delicious!
There are so many delicious flavors going on in this salad…it looks so good!
Thanks Alida! I love the chewy, sweet, salty, peppery combo!
Farro is one of my new favorite foods. I really like the other ingredients you paired with it, too. This is a great salad for fall!
I have farro at home, but haven’t used it yet! After looking at your recipe, I can’t wait to use it! Love your side dish, so beautiful! I’m a huge fan of mango! Yum!
Never thought to pair mango and dates with Caesar! Sounds neat
I adore farro, Dorothy, and your sweet and savory salad sounds outstanding!
Oh this salad sure looks DELICIOUS!
Thank you for nice recipe.
Alabama is the same way. Autumn? Where? Although it was kind enough to get in the 50′s and let me open my windows over night. But today it will be hot again. UGH! LOL
Medjool dates have such a place in my heart! And the rest of the salad is the way I like mine: arugula as the only green, fresh fruit and grains. Perfect Dorothy!
This healthy salad looks amazing, and I love the addition of the mango. Yum!
I’ve never tried farro, but I’m intrigued to try it now! Love the mango!
the salad reflects similarly to this autumn season
I really love to anyone who would want to make this one for me cuz I think I can’t find all the ingredients like farro and medjool date ….