Farro & White Bean Salad

This Mason jar grain salad is the perfect grab-and-go lunch. Building a salad in a Mason jar makes it easy to prepare and take along, keeping the ingredients fresh and crisp until you’re ready to enjoy it. This colorful salad layers together farro, bell pepper, beets and arugula, all of which offer fiber and antioxidants that can help lower inflammation in your body. White beans add some plant-based protein to help you stay satisfied throughout the afternoon.

If you’re looking for a grab-and-go lunch with a host of health benefits, look no further than this Anti-Inflammatory Farro & White Bean Salad! It's packed with whole grains, leafy greens, chopped veggies and legumes that deliver fiber and antioxidants to help fight inflammation. Plus, building it in a Mason jar makes prep a breeze and keeps everything fresh and crisp until you’re ready to dig in. Check out our expert tips and tricks below to make this simple Mason jar salad your new favorite lunch (or dinner!) on the go.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• We call for cooked, peeled beets in this salad. You can cook beets yourself, or buy packaged steamed beets to save time. Find them in the produce section of well-stocked grocery stores with the prepared produce.

• The way you layer the salad in the Mason jar matters. The dressing should go on the bottom of the jar, followed by the chopped veggies, beans and grains. Arugula and mint go on top. This separation keeps the more delicate ingredients away from the dressing so they last longer in the fridge and avoid wilting.

• Almost any vegetable will work well in this salad. Chopped carrots, celery or cauliflower could be swapped for the red pepper and beets. Chickpeas or cooked edamame can stand in for the great northern beans. Baby spinach can be swapped for the arugula. Just remember to place green vegetables or leafy vegetables toward the top of the jar away from the dressing.

Nutrition Notes

• Farro is our favorite whole grain to decrease inflammation—and not just because it’s packed with antioxidants like betaine, carotenoids and tocotrienols. This nutty grain is also rich in cereal fiber, shown to protect against inflammation better than fiber from fruits or vegetables.

• Beets get their vibrant red hue from betalains. These colorful pigments also happen to be powerful antioxidants credited with decreasing inflammation that may lead to heart disease and cancer.

• The great northern beans in this salad add a unique combination of plant-based protein and fiber. Together, these nutrients help you stay full and satisfied. 

• Dark leafy greens like arugula are an excellent pick for healthy blood pressure. In addition to providing blood pressure–lowering minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium, they also contain compounds called nitrates that keep your blood vessels relaxed for better blood flow. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups water

• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided

• 1 cup pearled Italian farro, rinsed

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup white-wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• ¾ teaspoon honey

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 1⅓ cups chopped red bell pepper

• 1⅓ cups chopped cooked peeled red beets

• 2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added great northern beans, rinsed

• 4 cups packed baby arugula

• 4 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint

• 4 tablespoons unsalted roasted sunflower seeds

• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

STEP 1

Bring 2 cups water and ¼ teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add rinsed farro; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, undisturbed, until the farro is tender and the water is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then spread the farro evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet; refrigerate, uncovered, until completely cool, about 30 minutes.

STEP 2

Whisk ¼ cup each oil and vinegar, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 teaspoon each oregano and lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon honey, grated garlic and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl until well combined. Divide the mixture among 4 (1-quart) Mason jars (about 2 tablespoons each).

STEP 3

Divide red pepper (about ⅓ cup each), beets (about ⅓ cup each), beans (about ¾ cup each) and cooled farro (about ¾ cup each) among the jars. Top each with 1 cup baby arugula; add 1 tablespoon each mint and sunflower seeds. Divide feta evenly among jars (about 2 tablespoons each).

STEP 4
Cover the jars and refrigerate. When ready to eat, shake the jar until the vinaigrette is evenly distributed; stir to combine the ingredients, if needed.