Farro Salad Fennel Oranges Almonds (Printable version)

Nutty farro meets crisp fennel and citrus in this refreshing Mediterranean bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables & Fruit

04 - 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced with fronds reserved for garnish
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 2 cups mixed salad greens

→ Nuts & Seeds

08 - ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

→ Vinaigrette

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
11 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - ½ teaspoon honey
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Rinse farro under cold water. Combine farro, water, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until tender but chewy. Drain and let cool slightly.
02 - Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large salad bowl, toss the cooled farro with fennel, orange segments, red onion, and mixed greens. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine.
05 - Sprinkle toasted almonds and reserved fennel fronds on top of the salad. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feels like a warm hug and a fresh breeze at the same time, somehow both comforting and energizing.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as the flavors mingle together overnight.
  • No special skills needed, just a knife and the willingness to slice a few things.
02 -
  • Cook your farro until it's actually tender—undercooked farro tastes chalky and won't absorb the dressing properly.
  • Toss the salad with the dressing while the farro is still slightly warm; it soaks up the flavor so much better than cold grain.
03 -
  • Toast your almonds in a dry pan while the farro cooks to maximize your time and fill your kitchen with that beautiful nutty aroma.
  • Squeeze the orange juice fresh right before you make the vinaigrette; bottled simply doesn't have the same vibrant taste.
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