Cozy Hearth Baked Toasted Farro (Printable Version)
Warm farro combined with roasted vegetables and a tangy dressing for satisfying, wholesome meals.
# Ingredient List:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup farro, rinsed
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
04 - 1 red onion, cut into wedges
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 2 cups Brussels sprouts, halved
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
14 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Finishing Touches
16 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
17 - 1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# How to Make It:
01 - Set oven to 400°F and prepare to roast vegetables.
02 - Toss sweet potato, onion, bell pepper, and Brussels sprouts with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper on a large baking sheet. Spread evenly and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through until tender and golden.
03 - In a dry saucepan over medium heat, toast rinsed farro for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring frequently.
04 - Add vegetable broth or water to toasted farro, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until farro is tender yet chewy. Drain any excess liquid.
05 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
06 - In a large bowl, gently toss cooked farro and roasted vegetables with half of the dressing to combine evenly.
07 - Top salad with crumbled feta, toasted nuts, chopped parsley, and drizzle remaining dressing over before serving warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The farro has this wonderful chewy texture that makes the salad feel substantial enough to be a real meal, not just a side.
- Roasting the vegetables brings out their natural sweetness, especially the Brussels sprouts and sweet potato, so you don't need complicated flavors to make it delicious.
- It tastes even better the next day when the dressing has time to settle into everything, making it perfect for meal prep or bringing to a potluck.
02 -
- Don't skip toasting the farro—I learned this by making it once without that step, and the difference was startling; the toasted version tastes nutty and complex, while the untoasted version is just bland starch.
- If your roasted vegetables finish before the farro is done, pull the pan from the oven and let them sit uncovered so they stay crispy and don't steam themselves into mush.
03 -
- Keep the roasted vegetables and cooked farro warm or at room temperature until you're ready to dress everything; cold farro won't absorb the dressing as readily and the whole dish loses its cozy feeling.
- If you accidentally overcook the farro and it becomes mushy, you can still salvage it by using less dressing and being more gentle with your mixing, turning it into more of a grain bowl than a salad.