Some of my favorite foods are in season in the fall. Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, kale, apples, pears, figs, etc. So I decided it would be brilliant to combine several of my favorite fall foods into one salad. The result? Farro Harvest Salad.
Farro is an ancient grain that is high in fiber, magnesium and iron, plus is surprisingly high in protein compared to other grains. It does contain gluten, so if you are gluten-free then you could substitute quinoa or brown rice.
This Farro Harvest Salad takes about 40 minutes to prepare, but most of the work can be done while the farro cooks. Shredding Brussels sprouts, dicing celery, plus dicing and cooking the sweet potatoes can all be done while the farro is simmering on the stove!
The dressing for this salad is one of my go-to recipes for a quick, yet flavorful mixture. Combine extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl.
If you were feeling crazy, you could even add a little maple syrup to the dressing for a touch of sweetness. I prefer mine to be slightly tart, so I left the maple syrup out.
While the farro and sweet potatoes cook, pour the dressing over the Brussels sprouts. The Brussels sprouts are not cooked in this recipe, so the dressing helps to make the sprouts less bitter. It only took about 10 minutes to notice a difference, since the Brussels sprouts were sliced quite thin.
This Farro Harvest Salad would be a great addition to your holiday table or perfect as a side dish throughout the week! Pair with your favorite protein for a well balanced meal. You could even dice up some cooked chicken and mix it into the Farro Harvest Salad! Yum.
- 1 cup farro
- 1 medium sweet potato, diced (roughly 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts, shredded
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/4 cup dried cherries*
- 1/4 cup pepitas, toasted
- 2 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Cook farro according to package directions.
- While the farro cooks, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and saute diced sweet potato until tender, stirring occasionally (roughly 15 minutes). Set aside.
- Combine the shredded Brussels sprouts, celery and dried cherries in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil, vinegar and mustard until well combined. Pour dressing into the bowl with the Brussels sprouts and add salt and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed.
- Add sweet potatoes and cooked farro to the mixing bowl and stir until evenly distributed. Top with toasted pepitas. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.
- *dried cranberries can be substituted for dried cherries.
