Today we’re giving some of my favorite fall produce a major GLOW UP.
Like, we’re going from a pile of humble farmer’s market veggies to a roasted, vinaigrette-tossed, texture-filled grainy salad, and if that isn’t the definition of a glow-up, I’m seriously missing the mark on this trendy term.
It all starts with a base of farro- the puffy ancient Italian grain that I can’t get enough of- it’s like rice, only JUMBO. And, not rice at all because farro is a variety of wheat. But still. It’s the best.
Then, to our farro we are going to add:
a medley of roasted fall veg like butternut squash, sweet potato, cauliflower, and carrots. You could totally swap in whatever is available to you locally right now, like brussels sprouts, mushrooms, alternate squashes, etc.
some fresh flavor elements like finely diced red onion and a handful of herbs like basil or parsley
crunchy raw apples + roasted salted sunflower seeds (or chopped pistachios, almonds, walnuts, etc).
a tangy apple cider vinaigrette that’s so good I sometimes just make it to use as a dip for whatever veggies I have in the house.
It’s a whole lot of goodness in one bowl, yet not a single element gets lost. You get a little bit of everything in each bite, and I seriously can’t stop eating it. The sweet, caramelized roasted vegetables mixed with fresh herbs, crisp apples, salty seeds and farro coated in zippy vinaigrette is just TOO GOOD.
It’s the perfect make-ahead lunch for a busy workweek, fun side dish to bring to a harvest-themed party, or even dinner in its own right, as is or with some leftover cooked protein tossed in.
If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your Fall Harvest Farro Salad and share it with me on Instagram so I can see!
Fall Harvest Farro Salad
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup uncooked farro + water and salt, to cook
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1/2 a head of cauliflower
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper, to roast veggies
- 1/2 small red onion
- 1 large sweet apple, such as honeycrisp, fuji, or ginger gold
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley
- optional: 1/2 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds, pistachios, or slivered almonds
vinaigrette
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Cook the farro according to package directions, adding a pinch of salt to the pot to season it.
- Cut off the bottom of the butternut (the bulbous part with seeds) and set aside, then peel and dice the butternut into 1-inch cubes. Transfer diced butternut to sheet pan. Note: I like to stick the butternut bottom into the oven whole and let it roast for about an hour, then scoop out the seeds and mash the flesh to use in place of pumpkin in baked goods. You could peel it, then cut in half, remove seeds, and roast with the rest of the butternut, but I find it much more cumbersome to do so.
- Dice the sweet potato into 1-inch cubes, and break up the cauliflower into flourettes, cutting them into about 2-inch pieces. Transfer both to the sheet pan with the butternut.
- Drizzle the pan of veggies generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, being sure to coat all the veggies. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until butternut is tender.
- While the farro cooks and veggies roast, finely dice the red onion, apple, and herbs.
- Place all vinaigrette ingredients into a small jar, secure the lid, and shake vigorously to combine.
- Once farro is finished cooking and vegetables are out of the oven, transfer them both to a large bowl, top with diced onion, apple, and herbs, drizzle with vinaigrette, and toss to combine. Top with sunflower seeds or nuts, if using. Note: depending on the size of your butternut, sweet potato, and cauliflower, you may find yourself with more roasted veg than seems reasonable to put into this salad. I like to load it up, but feel free to save a scoop of each to use in soups, omemelettes, tacos, etc later in the week.
- Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or refrigerate up to 4 days before serving. If making in advance, I like to leave off the seeds/nuts and toss them on top right before eating so they stay nice and crunchy.