Almost Autumn Farro Salad

If you’re anything like me, as soon as there’s a slight chill in the air (or in our case, a rainy day in Florida), I’m ready for allll the fall flavors. I love summer, don’t get me wrong, but there is something about root vegetables and cozy warming spices that make me so excited for the months to come.

But alas, it’s still pretty warm here– as it is in most of the world, which is why I love this salad as a transition from the fresh feeling of summer to the warmer flavors of fall- with chewy farro as the base, crunchy apple, spiced roasted sweet potato and finely chopped kale, topped with salty, tangy feta and a sweet dijon dressing, it’s all the delicious flavors I crave from fall, right for the transition.

Almost Autumn Farro Salad
Serves 4-6

3/4 cup dry farro (see cooking directions, below) or 1 1/2 cups cooked
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
Avocado oil, as needed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
sea salt, to taste
3 cups finely chopped kale
1 medium apple, diced
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (I like roasted and salted)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 1 tbsp honey (more as desired)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard (grainy preferred)
• pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 375. Toss sweet potatoes with enough avocado oil to coat. Toss with seasonings and a generous sprinkle of salt. Spread on a nonstick baking sheet (use parchment to avoid sticking) and roast for 25-40 minutes, flipping halfway, until lightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Set aside to cool.
2. Cook farro according to package directions.
   1. For pearled farro, bring 3 cups of water to a boil on the stove. Add uncooked farro, reduce to a simmer and simmer 15-20 minutes until farro is soft but still has a bite to it. Drain and let cool.
   2. For unpearled or semi-pearled farro, you will need more water (6-8 cups), and a longer cooking time (25-30 minutes). Drain and let cool.
   3. For all other farro (i.e. 10 minute farro from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods), cook according to package directions, drain and cool. 
3. To prepare dressing, combine avocado oil with honey, apple cider vinegar, dijon and a generous pinch of salt. Whisk or shake to combine.
4. In a large bowl, combine cooled cooked farro with roasted sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients, saving feta for topping, if desired. Toss with dressing and serve topped with feta. Keeps in fridge as a meal prepped item for 3-4 days. 

Print