Apple Farro Harvest Salad

I am obsessed with Farro in salads. Farro is an ancient grain that has a nutty flavor and chewy texture and is a perfect vehicle for soaking up vinaigrettes It is a type of wheat grain and is often considered a whole grain because it retains all parts of the grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm thus having lots of fiber and being good for you! It’s perfect for this apple farro harvest salad.

Farro can be used in various dishes, including grain bowls, salads, soups, and stews, and I love a good pumpkin risotto made with farro.  Farro is cooked by boiling it in water or broth until it becomes tender but still has a slight chewiness. The cooking time can vary depending on the type of farro and whether it’s whole or pearled (whole farro takes longer to cook so I always use pearled.

Farro is easy to make in the instant pot too so that’s how I made this recipe but you can boil the farro on the stove if you don’t have an instant pot.

Apple Farro Harvest Salad

Yield: 6

This salad is super versatile. You can swap out grains, fruit, types of greens, and nuts for a choose-your-own-adventure

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Ingredients

For The Dressing

• 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the Salad

• 1 ½ cups farro
• 2 ¼ cups water
• 3 cups lightly packed arugula
• 3 medium apples, chopped
• 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
• 1/4 c. freshly chopped basil
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/3 c. toasted slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Add the farro and water to the Instant Pot and stir. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Place the pressure release handle (vent) in the “Sealing” position.*

1. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes:
2. Natural release for 7 minutes
3. Open the lid and drain the Farro of off any excess water. 
4. Meanwhile, toast almonds in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes until browned and nutty
5. Make dressing: in a medium bowl, combine the olive oil with vinegar, mustard, honey, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper.
6. Assemble salad: combine cooked farro, arugula, apple, parmesan, basil, parsley, almonds and cranberries. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat. 

Notes

Stovetop Cooking:

* In a medium saucepan, combine farro, vegetable broth, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally, until farro is tender and no broth remains, about 30 minutes. When farro is cooked, transfer to a large bowl to cool.