Michael Bezjian/Getty Images
Michael Bezjian/Getty Images
Published on Mar. 12, 2025
This simple salad recipe has the Barefoot Contessa’s stamp of approval.
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If there is one constant to rely on in this world, it’s Ina Garten. The Barefoot Contessa will always serve up a heaping dose of comfort when she comes across my social media feed. Her Instagram presence really is a joy, and I love watching bite-sized episodes (pun intended) on my phone.
She recently posted a video of herself making a very specific kind of salad and said that it’s her favorite side dish ever. That’s a huge proclamation from the queen of the kitchen! She’s been sharing favorites a lot lately because she also said that this simple dessert is her all-time favorite recipe. OK Ina, twist my arm. I’ll try all of your favorite foods!
What is Ina Garten’s favorite side dish?
The lucky dish is none other than a farro salad from a restaurant in New York called Charlie Bird. Apparently, one of Ina’s friends made her the salad, which was so good that she demanded he share the recipe.
In her Instagram video where she makes the salad, Ina notes that she really loves a dish that can “go with anything, lamb, chicken, fish, whatever.” This farro salad is a perfectly versatile accompaniment to anything you’re cooking up, whether it’s Ina’s pork tenderloin or her pot roast. The best part? It comes together pretty quickly, too.
How do you make Ina’s farro salad?
This particular farro salad is special, and not just because it’s been awarded a badge of honor from Ina. She cooks the farro in apple cider to really give the earthy grain a hit of sweetness. She also makes sure to dress it with a lemon vinaigrette while it’s still warm so all the flavors have time to meld.
Ina adds a few more ingredients to complete this dish. First up, some fresh herbs—she roughly chops both parsley and mint to make sure their flavor really comes through. There are also sliced cherry tomatoes, pistachios and radishes in this salad. Finally, she adds in a few handfuls of arugula for that signature peppery flavor and tops off the whole thing with some shaved Parmesan. Bon appétit!