It’s not a guarantee, as Ina and I have differing opinions about cilantro and whether carrot cake should have raisins (or not), but it’s almost always a safe bet that if Ina gives something a stamp of approval, I’ll adore it, too. If you peek in my pantry, I’ve stocked up on nearly all of the “store-bought is fine” staples she recommends, and I wholeheartedly agree with her philosophy about the best host gift.
So when Ina took to Instagram recently and declared, “Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad is my favorite side dish ever,” I knew I had to toss it together to taste for myself. “It’s earthy and sweet from the farro cooked in apple cider, citrus-y from the fresh lemon vinaigrette, peppery from the arugula, salty and crunchy from the pistachios—so good,” Ina writes in the caption.
It sounds like it, so let’s give it a try together.
How to Make Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad
You might be wondering, “who is Charlie Bird?” It’s actually a place. Charlie Bird is a restaurant in New York City, where a riff on chef Ryan Hardy’s original farro salad is still on the menu. (The current rendition features the whole grain, of course, plus roasted pumpkin, honeynut squash, pistachio and Parmigiano cheese.)
As for Ina’s take, the recipe appeared in the 2018 book Cook Like a Pro, as well as a 2019 episode of Barefoot Contessa, and again on Be My Guest, when Ann Patchett joined Ina in her East Hampton, New York kitchen. Ina’s normally not one to play favorites, but I’ve rarely seen her celebrate a single dish this much.
Here’s how to DIY:
- Cook the farro. To a saucepan, add pearled farro, fresh apple cider, bay leaves, kosher salt, and water. Bring this to a boil, then drop the temperature and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes or so, or until the farro is tender. Drain the farro and discard the bay leaves.
- Make the dressing. As the farro bubbles away, in a measuring cup or mason jar, add olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Stir or shake to combine.
- Marinate the farro. In a bowl, toss the cooked farro with the salad dressing, and allow this to hang out for 15 minutes to infuse it with flavor and let the grains cool slightly.
- Assemble the salad. After that marination session, stir in chopped pistachios, chopped fresh parsley and mint, halved grape tomatoes, sliced radishes, and baby arugula. Gently fold in shaved Parmesan cheese (so it doesn’t crumble apart too much), then finish with flaky sea salt and dive in.
What Makes This Whole Grain Salad Recipe Special?
Sure, you could toss together a leafy green salad and prepare a separate starchy side. But why do both when you can check off both boxes at once?
I appreciate the ease and efficiency of this recipe, and the way that the farro layers on protein and fiber that makes the salad feel even more like a meal. Plus, when chewy farro meets crunchy, buttery pistachios, and tender produce, the texture is incredibly satisfying.
But the thing I adored most about this salad (and the feature that made me agree with Ina’s assessment that it’s a favorite)? The flavor. In a review online, one fan noted that “cooking the farro in cider was inspired,” and I agree. I’m definitely going to try cooking farro and other whole grains in ciders and stocks instead of water moving forward to infuse them with a subtle extra layer. The harmony of flavors—including sweet tomatoes and cider, bitter radishes, spicy greens, umami Parmesan, and salty finishing flakes—kept me going back for bite after bite. The fresh herbs and flaky sea salt pushed the already-awesome salad into “must-make-again” territory.
Tips For Making Ina Garten’s Favorite Side Dish Recipe
If you are feeling inspired to join Ina and I on the Charlie Bird train, here are some hints from the Barefoot Contessa herself as well as our Test Kitchen.
- Cook the farro in something flavorful. On its own, farro is faintly nutty, however, it doesn’t pack a flavor punch. Cooking it in apple cider or apple juice is such a smart hack. If you don’t have either on hand, vegetable, mushroom, or chicken stock works well, too.
- Mix up the produce and cheese. As proven by the current farro salad on the Charlie Bird menu, this arugula and farro concept can flex with the seasons. One Barefoot Contessa viewer took inspiration from Greek salad and used tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and feta for a summery spin. Feel free to trade in any cheese or nut you desire, and think of this as an opportunity to clean out your crisper drawer or put leftover roasted vegetables to great use.
- Bust out the good olive oil. Since the dressing is so simple, the olive oil really shines. If you happen to have a special bottle you save to use as a finishing oil, try it here. Ina is a fan of Olio Santo brand. We also adore California Olive Ranch, Graza Drizzle, and Brightland Alive.
- Add extra protein. To make this even more of a meal, consider pairing it with a protein like grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak, or top each serving with a poached egg or two. Drained and rinsed canned beans would also be an awesome addition.
The Verdict on Ina’s Farro Salad Recipe
A few bites was all it took to understand why Ina keeps featuring this recipe on her shows and in her books. The only cooking required is the hands-off step of simmering the farro, and the combination of flavors and textures will likely win over even the most meat-and-potatoes of diners. This is a clear example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
I brought my first batch of Ina Garten’s favorite side dish to a dinner party with pals, where Charlie Bird’s Farro Salad was a big hit. But I have grand plans for my next batch, after reading more online feedback about this recipe. Another Ina adorer chimed in to say, “It tasted great the first day, but even better the next.” With that verification in mind, and as I reflect on how craveable this salad was, I look forward to making a half batch in the very near future so I can enjoy Charlie Bird’s signature salad again for dinner one night with one protein, then for lunch the next day with another. (I wouldn’t prepare this in entirety more than a day in advance, though, since the arugula might not hold up much longer than that.)
