Winter Farro Salad

This beautiful salad is a hearty vegetarian recipe that's bursting with flavor. The maple balsamic dressing is perfectly sweet and complements the farro and feta cheese. Serve it for lunch, meal prep, or even Christmas!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings 2-cup servings

Calories 437kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked pearled farro about 3 cups cooked
1 small sweet potato peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
1 medium golden beet peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
1 pound Brussels sprouts quartered
1 bulb fennel cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup crumbled feta cheese more to taste
½ cup pomegranate arils

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the farro according to package instructions. Most kinds of farro take about 30 minutes to cook, so you should start it right away. Use a quick cooking variety, like the kind from Trader Joe's, to save time.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F/218 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Prepare the vegetables. You want to make sure they are all similar sizes, especially the golden beet and sweet potato (½-inch cubes), so that they cook evenly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, kosher salt, and garlic powder. You will have about ⅔ cup of dressing.
Pour half of the dressing (⅓ cup) over the veggies in the bowl. Toss until coated.
Spread the veggies out in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown and tender, stirring about halfway through cooking time.
When the veggies are finished roasting, combine them with the cooked farro, feta cheese, and pomegranate arils in a large bowl. Pour the rest of the dressing over the salad. Stir until well-coated.
Enjoy warm or cold after it's been refrigerated for a while.
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Notes

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can prep the salad in advance to serve at a later time and don't need to wait to dress it before serving. It holds up well already dressed.
Omit the cheese to make vegan.
To cut back on prep time, make one or all of the components ahead of time.

Nutrition