IT. IS. HOT. I know. It’s late July, this shouldn’t come as a shock to me, but somehow I am still surprised. The upside to this heat is that summer corn in everywhere! So I say let’s throw some in a salad. This beautiful Corn and Farro Salad with Spiced Chick Peas from Sunbasket is a dream served as a light main course or side salad for whatever you’re grilling!
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Now, Let’s Talk About This Salad!
Here is the scoop: Peppery arugula topped with cooked farro, spiced chick peas, roasted hazelnuts, seared corn and salty ricotta salata combine to make a delicious summer salad! If you aren’t familiar with farro, let me make an introduction. Farro is an ancient wheat grain that is high in protein, fiber and nutrients like magnesium and iron. Farro is as easy to cook as rice and has a delicious nutty flavor which works beautifully with the spiced chick peas, sweet corn and salty cheese in this salad. Last and certainly not least, this lovely salad is drizzled in a sherry vinaigrette…so tasty!
The Recipe: Corn and Farro Salad with Spiced Chick Peas
Tips and what you will need: you will need a small pot to cook farro, a good sea salt (I like to buy the tub and save money!) and a “y” peeler to shave the cheese. If you can’t find farro in your nearby store, you can have it delivered to your door!

Nutty, earthy, chewy, farro has a lot to love. Today it’s regarded as a special treat, but in Ancient Rome, the wheat was a military-issue staple. Here it is tossed with sweet corn, salty ricotta salata, and paprika-spiced chickpeas for an al fresco-worthy meal.
- 1/3 cup semi-perlato farro
- 1½ ounces hazelnuts
- 1 to 2 shallots
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil separated
- ¾ cup chickpeas
- 2 ears corn
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 1/4 teaspoon of each: onion powder - coriander - sweet smoked paprika
- 2 ounces baby arugula
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 ounce ricotta salata
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
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Heat the oven to 350ºF
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In a pot, combine the farro and 2 cups salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain. While the farro cooks, toast the hazelnuts.
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On a sheet pan, spread the hazelnuts in an even layer. Toast in the oven until lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool, and then coarsely chop. While the hazelnuts toast, prepare the vegetables.
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Peel and thinly slice the shallot.
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Rinse the chickpeas.
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Shuck the corn; lay the ears flat and cut the kernels from the cobs.
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Coarsely chop the dill.
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In a pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas, onion powder, coriander and smoked paprika and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are heated through and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the corn and cook until just warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
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In a bowl, combine the chickpea-corn mixture, farro, dill, arugula, sherry vinegar, and 2 tablespoons oil. Toss well to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Transfer the salad to individual bowls. Using a peeler, shave or crumble the ricotta salata on top. Garnish with the hazelnuts and serve.
MAY I PLEASE ASK A FAVOR?
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I LOVE farro salads. And also summer corn! This is a brilliant combo. I wish I’d known how easy and tasty farro was earlier in my life lol
What a pretty salad! So healthy and light too! I think I’ll make this for lunch next week!
Thanks! Enjoy!
I’m with you. . .I seem to always forget how hot it can get in the summer. But I’ve living in Boston 3 ?! years and it always seems that the hard core temperatures don’t roll in until early September. . .not this year. . .we have been roasting for weeks now.
This salad is the perfect way to keep the energy up during these roasty times. I love all the good wholesome ingredients you used (especially the chickpeas as it seems I have a chickpea addiction as of late).
I love Boston! We went last May and had a great time.
THis looks super healthy and delicious. A perfect light summer lunch
Thanks!
What a beautiful looking salad, with loads of greens in it. So simple too, which is how I like me salads.
Yes. I love simplicity!
I’ve never had farro before! But those ricotta salata shavings are perfection. 🙂
This is such a beautiful salad! Perfect for summertime weather!
Sounds like a great combo!!
I have never cooked with farro before. Thanks for the cooking tips and made it sound so easy. I will definitely give it a try!
It’s definitely easy, just like rice!
This salad sounds so exotic! It’s gorgeous, too.
Thanks Raia!
What a gorgeous and fresh looking salad, perfect for lunch. Those spicy chickpeas sound so good!
Farro might be my favorite ancient grain. Pairing it with corn sounds like a genius way to enjoy it in the summer!
Thanks! I love it too.
This sounds like the perfect dish for summer! Love all the flavors you have going on here!
What a delicious combination!
Haven’t used farro but make a similar with spelt kernels.
Have you ever tried spelt? Can’t wait to make this for my family!
I have used spelt but not in this recipe. Thanks Carol!