Farro Salad With Fennel, Oranges, Almonds (Printable Version)

Nutty farro combined with crisp fennel, juicy oranges, and toasted almonds in a bright citrus vinaigrette.

# What You'll 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
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 2 cups arugula or baby spinach
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ 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

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Rinse farro under cold water. Combine farro, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes until tender with a chewy texture. Drain excess water and allow to cool.
02 - While farro cooks, toast 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 mixing 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, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and well combined.
05 - Pour dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
06 - Add toasted almonds and toss lightly to incorporate. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately at room temperature or chilled.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It holds up in the fridge for days without getting soggy, which means you can actually meal prep without regret.
  • The textures keep your mouth busy: chewy farro, crunchy fennel, juicy orange bursts, toasted almond bits.
  • It looks impressive enough to serve guests but easy enough to throw together on a Tuesday.
02 -
  • Do not skip cooling the farro, warm grains will wilt your arugula into sad, soggy ribbons.
  • Slice the fennel thin enough that it is crisp but not tough, thick slices taste like crunching into black licorice sticks.
  • Dress the salad just before serving if you are making it ahead, the acid will dull the greens if it sits too long.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline to slice the fennel paper thin, it makes the texture so much better and saves your knife hand.
  • Toast extra almonds and keep them in a jar, they are perfect for throwing on yogurt, oatmeal, or any salad that needs a crunch.
  • If your farro tastes bland, it probably needs more salt, grains soak up seasoning so do not be shy.
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