Nutty, toothsome farro is one of my all-time favorite grains, and I love farro salads because they’re so versatile. I’ve been making a lot of these in the Minnie because they come together quickly and allow me to use whatever veggies I have on hand.

Following are some basic proportions to create a dish packed with flavor and texture. Tailor these ingredient suggestions to your personal taste. To create a heartier one-dish meal, I add a shredded chicken or a link of quality sausage.

Basic Farro Salad

2 C cooked farro*

2 C Main Veggie

1 C Highlight Veggie

½ C Cheese

½ C Crunch

Herbs

½ – 1 C dressing, to taste

Toss farro with veggies, cheese and crunch. Add dressing and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.

 Ingredient Ideas

Kale & Sweet Potato

• Main:             Kale, steamed (can be tossed in with farro while it cooks)
• Highlight:       Sweet Potatoes, cubed, roasted
• Cheese:         Parmesan, thin ribbons
• Crunch:         Pumpkin Seeds
• Herbs:           Sage, Thyme
• Dressing:       Olive oil & balsamic

Cauliflower

• Main:             Cauliflower, roasted
• Highlight:       Golden Raisins
• Crunch #1:    Fried capers
• Crunch #2:    Almonds, toasted, chopped
• Herbs:           Thyme, flat leaf parsley, sprinkle of hot pepper flakes
• Dressing:       Olive oil
• (I know, second list of suggestions and I’ve already broken the rules. No cheese in this one. See how adaptable this is, though?)

Fig & Arugula

• Main:             Figs, quartered, fresh or roasted
• Highlight:       Arugula
• Cheese:         Soft goat cheese, crumbled
• Crunch:         Walnuts
• Herbs:           Basil
• Dressing:       Mustard vinaigrette

Mushroom & Leek

• Main:            Mushrooms, sliced, cooked in dry pan until they lose their moisture
• Highlight:      Leeks, white and light green part only, sautéed till soft
• Cheese:        Asiago, thin shavings
• Crunch:        Pine Nuts
• Herbs:          Thyme
• Dressing:      Olive oil & lemon juice

Corn, Tomato & Bacon

• Main:             Sweet Corn, fresh, cut from the cobb
• Highlight:       Grape & Pear tomatoes, halved
• Cheese:         Mozzarella, cubed
• Crunch:         Bacon, crumbled (why not?)
• Herbs:           Basil, thyme, flat leaf parsley
• Dressing:       Ranch-style dressing, thinned with white wine vinegar

Greek

• Main:             Mix of Zucchini and Cucumbers, small cubes
• Highlights:     Sun dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives
• Cheese:         Feta
• Crunch:         Sunflower seeds
• Herbs:           Thyme, Basil
• Dressing:       Olive oil & red wine vinegar