Chickpea & Farro Bowl with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-01 · Updated 2026-04-01

A protein-packed grain bowl featuring earthy farro, creamy chickpeas, and crisp cucumber, all drizzled with a tangy lemon-tahini dressing. This mediterranean-inspired vegetarian ready in about 40 minutes blends farro, (15 oz) can canned chickpeas, medium cucumber into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup farro
• 1 (15 oz) can canned chickpeas
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red onion
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cook farro in 2 cups salted water for 25 minutes until tender but chewy. Drain, rinse under cold water, and spread on a baking sheet to cool.
2. Step 2: Drain and rinse chickpeas thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels, then toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Roast on a parchment-lined sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges.
3. Step 3: Finely chop cucumber (peeled if desired), halve cherry tomatoes, and thinly slice red onion. Pit and chop olives.
4. Step 4: For dressing, combine tahini, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding 1 tsp water if too thick.
5. Step 5: In a large bowl, combine cooled farro, roasted chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and olives. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Top with fresh parsley before serving.