Fall Farro Salad For Fiesta Friday #35
Warm Fall Farro Salad
Wow, that’s a lot of F’s Fall Farro Salad For Fiesta Friday. I tested this recipe as a community pick on Food52 and it’s so delicious I wanted to make more and share with all my friends at Fiesta Friday. This warm or room temperature salad is so good for you and the flavor is amazing. I am a big Farro fan, love it in salads and think about it with roasted cauliflower and brussells sprouts, pancetta, feta cheese and other vegetatables toss it in a simple lemon,herb and olive oil dressing, The combination is absolutely heavenly. It’s from one of the very talented cooks on Food52 Wendy@healthier kitchen. This can be made vegetarian or vegan by simply omitting the pancetta and using vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock also if vegan of course omit the feta cheese, but you know that. I opted for the vegetarian version and omitted the pancetta and cooked the farro in salted water, the only reason was that I didn’t have any pancetta and honestly, the salad is so good as it was I didn’t miss it at all. Note: Don’t skimp on the lemon I halved the recipe and still used the whole lemon, it adds such a bright delicious flavor also I used dried marjoram in place of the oregano.
This Friday Angie@the novice gardener has enlisted the help of two very talented ladies. Prudy@butter basil and breadcrumbs and Naina@spiceinthecity. With these two talented and lovely co hosts this promises to be one heck of a party, you must check out the food, what an array of delicious dishes. Join in, it’s fun!!
Fall Farro Salad
Serves 8 – 10
1 large head cauliflower, cut up into small florets (I sometimes do this with brussels sprouts in addition – they cook more quickly so only roast them about 15 or so minutes)
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch salt
4 cups low or no sodium added chicken (or vegetable if you want to keep it vegetarian) stock
4 cups water
about 1 pounds farro, rinsed
4 ounces pancetta, diced (omit if you’re keeping this vegetarian)
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or even marjoram if you’ve got it)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup best quality olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
about 1 cups crumbled feta, spread over top
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Toss the cut up cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Ziploc bag or large bowl. Make sure all pieces are lightly coated with olive oil. Spread cauliflower in a single layer in a shallow baking dish or half sheet pan. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over cauliflower.
Let cauliflower roast, stirring and turning pieces occasionally, until tender and golden brown, about 25 – 35 minutes.
While cauliflower roasts, bring the stock and water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Once the stock boils, add the rinsed farro and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender, about 20 – 25 minutes. Drain farro, and set aside in a large serving bowl.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium heat, saute the diced pancetta unitl it darkens and gets a little crispy. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and carrot has softened, about 10 minutes. You might have to lower the burner to medium-low if the onion is starting to crispen. Season vegetables with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Once cooked, add onion mixture to the farro in the serving bowl.
Add the cooked cauliflower to the serving bowl.
Add parsley, oregano and half the chives to the serving bowl.
Add lemon juice and olive oil to serving bowl and mix contents gently, but thoroughly. Taste for salt and pepper and add if necessary.
Garnish with remaining chives and feta.
Can be served warm or room temperature.
So good and good for you
apuginthekitchen 
This has so many things I love all together — especially brussels sprouts, cauliflower and farro. Yum!!!
It’s fantastic Sue, I love this salad. I think it’s a great recipe. I love all the above also!
I wasn’t familiar with farro, but the way you describe the salad makes a believer of me. 🙂
I got a kick out of all the “Fs” too. Hugs!
LOL, so many F’s. Thanks, you must try farro, it’s amazing and it really is my favorite whole grain. So good in so many ways. Thanks so much Teagan.
This looks very enticing indeed. What a fantastically hearty salad. I love roasted cauliflower. Definitely one for me to try … 🙂
It’s a wonderful salad I love how hearty it is and no skimping on taste. Thanks so much.
Dare I confess that I have yet to cook with farro? Quinoa is getting a little old, as is whole wheat couscous. Time for a change…
I am not a big fan of quinoa so I like using farro or barley or freekeh more farro is so toothsome and nutty and wonderful. Thanks Liz.
LOVE this!! Super delicious & healthy. Yum- Thanks!!
Thanks it is all of that. A really good salad!
oh I love everything in this salad, faro, feta… I might add a bit more feta!! Looks delicious Suzanne! 🙂
This dish sounds like a perfect salad for chilly winter days. My culinary ignorance knows no bounds – I have never heard of farro!
It’s been around for eon’s. So wonderful, I hope you give a try, It’s one of my favorite grains. Thank you so much.
Have never cooks with Farro. Got a packet of Frekkeh! Sounds like a hearty dish Suzanne :).
It’s very hearty and great for fall and winter, love freekeh, it would be great instead of the farro.
Thanks for the feedback Suzanne!
This salad looks amazing! 😀
Thanks Jessica.
What a great party in a bowl this is! I love farro and make it quite often. This is perfect for a fall gathering 🙂
It really is, took some to a neighbor and she loved it. Delicious recipe. Thanks Susan.
Ooh, I love an alliterative dish 🙂 This looks scrumptious!
Thank you so much, it’s a really nice side or meal, can go either way!
Oh oh therez not one which is not my favourite but I confess farro yet to include in my kitchen, your Salad is inspiring me to… am sure to bring this ASAP
Thanks Chitra, love the whole grain and vegetables.
Great salad! Even though I’ve never had farro. Okay, I’ve had spelt. But it’s not exactly the same. Talking about Tuscany, one of my local supermarkets is now selling cavolo nero. So nice to be able to gorge on kale that hasn’t been chopped already. So delicious with mushrooms. Oh, and isn’t roasted cauliflower and lemon just great together?
Farro is great, tastes very similar to many whole grains I’m sure spelt is similar. How nice you can now get kale, love it and never tried with mushrooms, sounds really wonderful. Have some in the fridge will give it a try. Yes, cauliflower and lemon are perfect together, Thanks Johnny.
What wonderful ingredients Suzanne!! Saving this recipe!
Thanks Lori, it’s a wonderful salad.
So fresh and delicious. I really like farro. This is so perfectly seasonal. Warm and nutty but still light.
Thanks so much Amanda. Yes, really good for transitional weather, still not cold enough for heavy food it’s a good balance.
Lots of delicious flavours at work in this salad Suzanne! Just might adapt a couple of ingredients and serve it up in Spring! 🙂
Yes, it is so adaptable, spring vegetables would be wonderful in the is salad. Thanks Margot!!
Absolutely delicious….I must get some faro…I keep hearing such good things about it….nice post..thanks:)
Thank you so much, Farro is really nice hope you can try it!
FFFFabulous Suzanne!! I have never tried farro, but with all the flavors you have combined here, it is sure to be an amazing salad and wonderful for fall! Thanks so much for sharing at FF 🙂
LOL, lots of F’s floating around today. Thank you so much.
Wow, this looks amazing Suzanne! I love farro too, such an amazing texture but I haven’t had it in so long. I love all the veggies crammed into this beautiful dish and especially love the fresh oregano and chives….I LOVE chives!
It’s so good Brandi, Farro is one of those grains I could eat all the time and goes so well with all the roasted veggies. Thank you so much.
This looks really, really good! I’ve had some Farro in my cupboard that I was just thinking I needed to get to, soon!
Farro is such a wonderful thing, I love adding a mix of vegetables and nuts. So delicious, thank you so much.
Happy Fiesta Friday, Suzanne!! This looks so delicious..but I have to admit, I’ve never had farro before…for no other reason, than it has never presented an opportunity. But now it has… and I really want to try it now! I haven’t been here for a while, so I need to go back and see what I’ve missed with you. I hope all is well! Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful dish, I can’t wait to try it, and will report back to you! ❤ you. ❤
Thank you for co hosting, missed you, haven’t seen you for a while. Hope you are well. Thanks so much. I love Farro, it’s wholesome and delicious and can be integrated into so many different dishes
what fun ingredients to bring together 🙂 I feel healthier just looking at your recipe. Hope it was a fantastically fun Fiesta Friday for you!
FF is always fun, thanks Liz, know what you mean. I felt good making this meal.
So many healthy things all mixed in together!! Larry would love this… thanks Suzanne.
Thanks, it is really delicious I am going to make a variation of it this week using Red Kiri squash and nuts and kale.
Suzanne– seems like you have a most amazing access to interesting food– red kiri squash??
Yes it is wonderful similar to butternut, as a matter of fact they can be used interchangeably, I did a post last year on the kiri squash https://apuginthekitchen.com/2013/12/26/red-kuri-and-butternut-squash-soup/
Just saw them at the market and snatched one immediately.
Hey Suzanne! I have just bookmarked this and can’t wait to try it! It looks stunningly delicious! I just tried Farro for the first time a few months ago and I love it, so I am looking forward to trying your recipe! 😀
I love Farro, isn’t it great??? Lends itself to so many different types of recipes. Thank you so much and hope you like it.
I love the nuttiness of faro. This is a definite recipe to try. Thanks! I have a friend that is vegan – will pass this recipe on to her as well.
Me too Cindy, I love that you can make this recipe for any dietary need vegan, vegetarian or not. Thank you.
This dish has so many healthy ingredients in it and it looks delicious. I love that it can be made for a vegetarian. Printing and saving this recipe.
Thanks Sharon, yes I made it Vegetarian and it was wonderful. It’s a really great recipe.
Anything with brussels sprouts in and I’m sold, this looks so yummy!
Yay brussels sprouts! Thank you.
A fantastic fragrant wonderful fall salad that I love! 🙂 MMMM!
Thanks Sophie!
This looks delicious, Suzanne. Perfect for fall. Yummy in my tummy!
Thank you so much.