I posted a teaser pic of this salad on instagram and claimed we had a new favourite grain in town.
Move over quinoa – farro has arrived.
I’m a sucker for texture and farro has got me hooked. It’s like the chewier and heartier cousin to brown rice. And it combines perfectly with a smattering of winters finest vegetables.
This kind of salad is something that is a staple in our house. You take whatever vegetables you have lying around in the fridge, throw them in the oven, combine with some herbs, a grain (farro in this case), and a whack load of cheese and bob’s your uncle. In this salad I’ve also added some cubed roasted tofu to up the protein content, but some leftover chicken or a can of beans would also do the job.
I love my grain salads to be just that – a salad. I think of the grain kind of like the crouton of the green salad. So there are no boring bites in this salad. Every forkful is loaded with flavour, texture, cheese, and of course chewy farro.
Step aside barley, farro is here to stay!
Dara
Farro Salad with Roasted Winter Vegetables, Tofu, and Goat Cheese
Serves | 4-6 |
Dietary | Vegetarian |
Meal type | Main Dish, Side Dish |
Website | Adapted from Joanne Eats Well With Others |
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 1/2 butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
- 4 carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 1 red onion (chopped)
- 2 Cups brussels sprouts (halved)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
- 1/4 cup sage (chopped)
- 1 block of tofu (cubed)
- 140 gram package of goat cheese (chopped)
Note
This hearty grain salad is great for lunch or a light dinner and is very customizable. Feta cheese works really well in place of the goat cheese. If you don't like tofu, leftover chicken or canned chickpeas could be used instead. Quinoa or brown rice could also be substituted for the farro.
Directions
1. | In a medium sauce pan, bring 2 cups of water and farro to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes until tender. Drain any remaining water and set aside. |
2. | Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl, toss together butternut squash, carrots, brussels sprouts, red onion, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. |
3. | On a seperate baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place tofu and spray with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables and tofu in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and tofu is brown. |
4. | In a large bowl combine farro, roasted vegetables and tofu, chopped parsley, sage, and goat cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper. |
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