The other day I was craving a hearty grain salad, and also looking for ways to use up some extra veggies from our farmer’s market basket. So this farro salad I am about to share was very much a “use up what you have” type of a recipe 😉 After mixing together what I had, I ended up with a Mediterranean inspired dish. Quite tasty!
It turned out so tasty (and colorful), that I decided to snap a few pictures, and save the ingredients to share them back with you all. There’s just one thing… I added a little of this and that, with no measuring, until I liked the way it tasted. So, this is more of a flavor inspiration than a true recipe. Take the ingredients and mix away, a little of this and that at a time, until you come up with a salad that tastes good to you. That is half the fun of cooking! I hope this “recipe” gives you some inspiration to try making your own tasty creation.
This farro salad is perfect topped with a protein, feta cheese, and a few crushed red pepper flakes.
When I made this salad, we had some extra king crab left over from dinner the night before. Not something I often have handy, but it was delicious topping this farro salad! You could also substitute any other leftover fish (grilled salmon, perhaps), or chicken, as some additional protein.
Curious what I included? Here’s the ingredient list and a few basic instructions.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup farro (after cooking)
- EVOO (to taste)
- Mint (finely chopped, to taste)
- Parsley (finely chopped, to taste)
- Lemon zest (finely chopped, to taste)
- Fennel fronds (finely chopped, to taste)
- Fennel bulb (thinly sliced, then further chop the slices if desired)
- 1 Golden beet (roasted and minced, see instructions)
- 1 Sweet potato (baked and minced, see instructions)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Cook Ahead
- Farro – cooked until tender but with a little chew left. To cook: simmer the farro in a 3:1 water:farro ratio until it is the desired texture, then drain. About 20-30 minutes.
- Golden beet – baked, skin removed, then minced. To roast in the oven: rinse and trim the ends, drizzle with EVOO, wrap in foil. Bake at 400°F for about an hour, checking every 20 minutes until a fork or knife penetrates easily. Once cooled, the skin will peel off easily with a paring knife. You can roast the beets ahead, and just keep them wrapped or in a sealed container in the fridge until you use them.
- Sweet potato – baked, skin removed, then minced. Quick bake in the microwave: Rinse, poke some holes evenly all around with a knife or fork, wrap in a damp paper towel, and cook on high for ~5 minutes. Turn about half way through, and test occasionally for doneness. The potato is done when it gives slightly to a finger squeeze. For use in this farro salad, you don't want it overly soft!
Now that you have everything prepped, time to put it all together
- Mix prepped ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Start with the farro, add the beet and sweet potato, then slowly mix in the herbs and other seasonings, adjusting amounts as you go to get the right flavor balance.
- Add EVOO, salt, and pepper to taste.
Serve
- Spoon farro salad into a bowl.
- Top with parsley, red pepper flakes, feta cheese, and protein of choice.
- Enjoy!
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