Toasted Farro Salad
Fuel your body with this healthy toasted farro salad, packed with fiber-rich farro, nutrient-dense arugula, sweet pears, dried cherries, and protein-rich feta. Topped with a creamy lemon-tahini dressing, it’s as delicious as it is nourishing!
Servings 4
Equipment
Ingredients
Salad
- 8 oz dried farro (1 cup)
- 6 cups arugula
- 1 pear
- ¼ cup dried cherries
- ¼ cup toasted pecans
- ¼ cup thinly sliced shallot
- 2 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoon crumbled feta (optional)
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt divided
- 2 tablespoon tahini paste
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
Instructions
- Toast farro. Dry toast the farro in a pan set over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant.
- Cook farro. Rinse the toasted farro using a strainer then cook according to package instructions. Immediately toss the cooked farro with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt while still hot. Spread seasoned farro onto a baking sheet to cool.
- Make dressing. In a small bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and maple syrup with the remaining ¼ cup olive oil and ¾ teaspoon salt. Whisk until smooth. Or, add all ingredients to a mason jar, tighten the lid and shake.
- Layer salad ingredients in a bowl. Place seasoned farro in a large salad bowl the add arugula, sliced pear, pecans, sliced shallots, and dried cherries.
- Add dressing, parsley, and feta. Drizzle the prepared dressing over the top and toss well to coat. Scatter the parsley and crumbled feta (if using) over the top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Rinsing the farro before boiling reduces the amount of starch in the water and keeps the farro from getting sticky.
- Farro cooking time is highly dependent on variety. I’ve used Italian pearled farro for this recipe, which cooks in just 15 minutes.
- For an easy variation, skip the homemade dressing and use Annie's Goddess Salad Dressing.
