What constitutes a picnic salad, exactly? It’s a simple dish built to be packed up into a reusable container, toted to the park, and shared. A picnic salad is no worse for being eaten in direct sunlight—though it also excels straight from the fridge, making it an ideal make-ahead work lunch option. It’s zippy and light, but hearty enough to be a full meal if all that your friends bring is a pack of Solo cups and a bottle of rosé. It’s got pickled peppers for punch, white beans for protein, and cheese (two kinds!) for fun. The green beans get lightly smashed in a zip-top bag, taking on the flavors of the dressing but staying bright green and crisp, even after a few hours swimming in vinaigrette. The farro cooks in the same pot the green beans did, while they’re getting their marinade on (that’s called time management). You could even blanch the beans one day, stick them in the fridge overnight to marinate, and cook off the grains just before you want to serve. Picnic salad is the star of the potluck, the beach trip, the backyard hang. People will request the recipe. They can find it below.
Seek out farro with “semi-pearled” on the label—this means that some of the outer hull of the grain has been removed, helping it cook in less time than whole grain farro while also retaining some fiber and hearty texture. “Pearled” farro cooks the speediest of all, but it eats more like rice without farro’s characteristic chew.
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Ingredients
4–6 servings
1
lb. green beans, trimmed
1
tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
1¼
cups semi-pearled farro
1
garlic clove, finely grated
⅔
cup sliced hot cherry peppers, finely chopped
½
cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅓
cup white wine vinegar
1
Tbsp. honey
Freshly ground pepper
1
15-oz. can white beans, rinsed
8
oz. bocconcini cheese, torn into bite-size pieces
½
oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
Preparation
Step 1
Cook 1 lb. green beans, trimmed, in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer to a bowl of ice water to shock.
Step 2
Cook 1¼ cups semi-pearled farro in same pot of boiling water until tender, 30–35 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 3
Meanwhile, whisk together 1 garlic clove, finely grated, ⅔ cup sliced hot cherry peppers, finely chopped, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ⅓ cup white wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp. honey, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a small bowl; season vinaigrette generously with freshly ground pepper.
Step 4
Pat green beans dry with paper towels and transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and, using a rolling pin, smash beans to break apart. Add vinaigrette and one 15-oz. can white beans, rinsed. Smoosh around with your hands to coat. Let sit, massaging occasionally, at room temperature at least 1 hour, or chill up to 12 hours.
Step 5
Toss green bean mixture along with any dressing left in bag, farro, and 8 oz. bocconcini cheese, torn into bite-size pieces, and ½ oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ¼ cup), in a large bowl to combine.
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