It’s a great make ahead dish, perfect for meal prep. And it goes great with a variety of proteins (we used shrimp this time), or you can skip them and go meatless. If you’ve never cooked with farro, this is the recipe you need to try… Summer is the time when you need some light dinners. After the heat of the day, you’re not looking for casseroles and stews. That’s where salads come into play. Though they are usually thought of as sides, they can be great main dishes as well. Our Hawaiian Chicken Salad and Indonesian Gado Gado are two such main dish salads. This farro salad with roasted veggies is the latest hit main-dish-salad.
Why You’ll Love this Farro Salad
It’s so versatile. Literally any veggie can go great here. Same for protein. You can make it ahead of time. We like to make a big batch and munch on it for days. It’s a light, healthy meal. Whether it’s a hot summer day or you just need a break from heavy food, this recipe is a winner. It is great hot or cold.
Ingredients
This is what we used today. You’ll find other topping ideas further down the post.
Farro – If you’ve never had it, farro is a type of wheat that has a chewy taste and nutty texture. Veggies – Red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and arugula. Shrimp – Any protein would go great, but we especially like shrimp here. Walnuts – They add a nice crunch. Dressing – Olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, salt and pepper.
How to Make Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables
There are a few different components, but mostly they can happen simultaneously. Cook the farro. Follow the package directions. Different types of farro takes different amounts of time to cook, as follows:
Whole farro: 30-40 minutes Semi-pearled farro: 25-30 minutes Pearled farro: 15-20 minutes
Roast the vegetables. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. Place the cut up bell peppers, onion and zucchini on a parchment paper lined sheet pan, season it with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. Make the dressing. Just mix everything together. Taste and adjust. Cook the shrimp. Cook them in a greased skillet for 2-3 minutes per side. Assemble the salad. Toss the farro, roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes, walnuts and 5 tablespoons of the dressing together in a bowl. Toss the remaining dressing with the shrimp. Place a bed of arugula on a plate, top with farro mixture and shrimp. Tip: If serving cold, chill the farro mixture before placing on top of the arugula. This will keep the arugula from wilting.
Other Topping Ideas
Any roasted veggie like mushrooms, yellow squash, or even corn. Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds would be great alternatives to walnuts. It’s great with feta cheese or goat cheese. Change up the protein. Chicken or steak go great here. Or go meatless…
Can I Grill the Vegetables and Shrimp?
Absolutely! Thread the cut up vegetables onto metal skewers, preheat the grill to medium high, and grill them to your desired tenderness, turning several times. We would also recommend skewering the shrimp if grilling them. They will only take a couple of minutes per side.
Leftovers and Storage
You can enjoy these leftovers for 3-4 days. Refrigerate the different components (arugula, farro mixture, and shrimp) in airtight containers, then assemble when ready to eat. Give this Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables a try the next time you’re looking for a light meal idea , or are just wondering how to cook farro! We hope you love it as much as we do. Pin or bookmark this great recipe so you always know where to find it. And be sure to subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new easy recipes for you!
Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great salad recipes!Vietnamese Chicken SaladMexican Street Corn SaladAvocado Tomato Pesto SaladTortellini Pasta SaladRainbow Pasta SaladSpanish Pipirrana SaladBalela Salad
