Farro Salad With Fennel, Oranges (Printable Version)

Nutty farro mingles with crisp fennel, sweet oranges, and toasted almonds in a zesty citrus dressing for a refreshing Mediterranean-style dish.

# What You Need:

→ Grain

01 - 1 cup uncooked whole grain farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Produce

04 - 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced with fronds reserved for garnish
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 2 cups arugula or baby spinach
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Nuts

08 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Rinse farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until farro is tender yet chewy. Drain excess water and allow to cool completely.
02 - While farro cooks, heat sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooled farro, sliced fennel, orange segments, arugula or spinach, and fresh parsley.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to coat evenly. Add toasted almonds and toss lightly. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve immediately or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes better the next day once the dressing softens the grains and flavors meld together.
  • You can prep everything ahead and just toss it together when hunger strikes—perfect for meal prepping on a Sunday afternoon.
  • The contrast of textures keeps your mouth interested with every bite, from creamy to crunchy to chewy.
02 -
  • Never dress this salad while the farro is still warm or the greens will wilt and turn dark; let the grain cool completely first, even if you have to refrigerate it for a bit.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate until just before serving, or the almonds will lose their crunch and the fennel will soften too much.
03 -
  • If you can't find whole grain farro, barley works just as well and cooks in about the same time—pearl farro is softer and less interesting, so avoid it.
  • The dressing is a template: swap the honey for a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want heat, or add a tiny amount of shallot minced very fine for more depth.
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