This vegetarian farro salad is filled with chewy farro, sweet roasted butternut squash, and fresh spinach, all tossed with a flavorful maple vinaigrette. It is hearty enough for lunch, easy enough for weeknights, and a great way to use leftover roasted squash. This dish is ready in about 45 minutes.
Farro salad with butternut squash
I was recently travelling and came across a version of this salad. It was so good that I jotted down every ingredient I could identify so I could recreate it at home. The original salad had a few differences, including romaine lettuce instead of spinach and chives instead of green onions, but the overall flavors came shining through.
This farro salad is a great way to use up ingredients in the fridge because it doesn't require much of any one item. A bit of leftover roasted squash, part of a bell pepper, a few green onions, and a handful of spinach are all you need to bring the salad together.
It is perfect for serving at holiday meals, and I'm also making a large batch to meal prep for lunches. It will be perfect for packing into a lunch box.
Ingredients for farro and butternut salad
- Farro - You'll need one cup of uncooked farro or about two cups of cooked farro. This grain can often be found in the baking aisle with other grains and sometimes in the health food or organic section.
- Butternut Squash - Either use leftover roasted butternut squash or roast up a batch just for this recipe. You'll need one cup of cubed squash.
- Spinach - Use fresh baby spinach.
- Bell Pepper - I like to use red bell pepper for the taste and also for the color.
- Green Onions - Use both the white and green parts.
- Sunflower Seeds - Adds texture and flavor. Use roasted and salted sunflower seeds.
- Maple Syrup - Sweetens the dressing and adds flavor. Use real maple syrup, not imitation.
- Olive Oil - For the dressing. You could also use your favorite light-tasting oil.
- Dijon Mustard - Adds flavor to the dressing.
- Parsley - Use fresh, flat-leaf Italian parsley.
Making the farro salad
- Combine all the dressing ingredients into a jar with a lid or a bowl.
- Place the lid on the jar and shake to combine. If using a bowl, whisk the ingredients together.
- Cook farro according to package directions. Drain and spread on an ungreased baking sheet to cool.
- Cut roasted butternut squash into smaller, ¼ inch pieces.
- Place cooled farro, butternut squash, bell peppers, spinach, sunflower seeds, and green onions in a bowl.
- Give the dressing another shake or stir and pour half of it over the salad.
- Toss everything to combine. If needed, add more dressing.
Recipe tips
- Cool the farro in a single layer on a baking sheet. This helps cool down the farro quickly and helps prevent the individual grains from sticking to each other.
- The farro can be cooked up to five days ahead of time. Store cooled, cooked farro covered in the refrigerator.
- If assembling ahead of time, add the sunflower seeds just before serving. This helps preserve some of the crunch of the seeds. Stir before serving. Add more dressing if needed.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Any leftover maple vinaigrette can be used on your favorite salad.
Frequently asked questions
Farro is an ancient wheat berry with a slightly nutty flavor.
Serving suggestions
This farro salad is delicious with almost any main dish and is hearty enough to be eaten as a main dish by itself.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious salad recipes!
Farro Salad
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil (or other light tasting oil)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Salad
- 1 cup uncooked farro (about 2 cups cooked)
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash (cooled)
- 1 cup spinach (cut into thin strips)
- ¼ cup red bell pepper (diced into small pieces)
- ¼ cup green onions (sliced into thin pieces)
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds (roasted and salted)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Vinaigrette
- Combine all the dressing ingredients into a jar with a lid or a bowl.½ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Place the lid on the jar and shake to combine.
Salad
- Cook farro according to package directions. Drain and spread on an ungreased baking sheet to cool.1 cup uncooked farro
- Cut roasted butternut squash into smaller, ¼ inch pieces.1 cup roasted butternut squash
- Place cooled farro, butternut squash, bell peppers, spinach, sunflower seeds, and green onions in a bowl.Give the dressing another shake or stir and pour half of it over the salad. Toss everything to combine. If needed, add more dressing.1 cup spinach, ¼ cup red bell pepper, ¼ cup green onions, 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, salt and pepper
Notes
- Cool the farro in a single layer on a baking sheet. This helps cool down the farro quickly and helps prevent the individual grains from sticking to each other.
- The farro can be cooked up to five days ahead of time. Store cooled, cooked farro covered in the refrigerator.
- If assembling ahead of time, add the sunflower seeds just before serving. This helps preserve some of the crunch of the seeds. Stir before serving. Add more dressing if needed.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Any leftover maple vinaigrette can be used on your favorite salad.
- Peel, core, and cut squash into one-inch cubes.
- Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Roast in a preheated 425° F oven for 30-35 minutes until soft.
- Allow squash to cool before using in salad.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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