Get ready for fall with this Autumn Farro Salad!
Why is Autumn Farro Salad the book-inspired recipe for Infinite Paradise?
Infinite Paradise is a memoir that embraces seasonal living and eating. Author Beeaff enjoys so many wonderful-sounding meals throughout the year at her house in the Canadian wilderness.
I love the concept of eating in tune with the seasons. It’s a great reminder that fall brings tons of delicious produce to the table, too.
Autumn Farro Salad combines all the best fall flavors into one deliciously sweet and salty, healthy salad. It tastes like a salad that Beeaff would make from food growing on their land or bought at nearby local farmer’s markets.
This baby is loaded with delicious fall ingredients like roasted butternut squash, red-skinned apples, toasted pecans, and craisins.
The whole thing is topped with a tangy Cinnamon Berry Vinaigrette salad dressing. Nature lovers and naturalists would definitely approve of this hearty, fresh salad that eats like a meal.
What I love about Autumn Farro Salad
Farro is one of my favorite salad ingredients.
(Other than pasta. But we can’t add a carb like that to salad all the time. Sadly.)
It’s a great way to add some nuttiness and al dente bite to your greens without feeling guilty. Plus, it’s perfect for soaking up tons of salad dressing.
Everything about Autumn Farro Salad blends well together. I love the sweet, crisp apples and dried, chewy craisins. They pair nicely with the savory roasted butternut squash, the crunchy tart fennel, and the peppery arugula. The pecans and pistachios add some earthiness, and the plump pearls of farro pull it all together.
Drench everything in Cinnamon Berry Vinaigrette, which is sure to give you plenty of fall vibes with its warming and fruity flavor.
You can shake the salad dressing up in a mason jar and pour it over the salad right before you serve to keep the arugula and nuts crisp.
What do you serve with Autumn Farro Salad?
Autumn Farro Salad is a great starter for a cozy main course like Coq au Vin, Chickpea Curry over rice, One Pot Swedish Meatball Pasta, or Cincinnati Chili.
Or, go the soup-salad-sandwich route for lunch. Serve Autumn Farro Salad with a Turkey, Fig, and Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich and a cup of Apple Butternut Squash Soup, or a bowl of Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup with Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches.
Great autumnal dessert ideas include Apple Butter Crumble Bars, Raisin Rugelach, Victorian Mourning Cakes, or Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread.
Autumn Farro Salad
Ingredients
AUTUMN FARRO SALAD INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 cups uncooked farro
- 4.5 cups water (or low-sodium chicken broth)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 8 cups butternut squash, peeled, cored, and diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
- 1 apple, diced (peeling optional)
- 1 fennel bulb, diced
- 2-3 cups fresh arugula
- 1/2 cup craisins
- 1/3 cup shelled pistachios (raw or roasted)
- 1/3 cup shelled pecans (raw or roasted)
CINNAMON BERRY VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Peel, de-seed, and dice the butternut squash into ½-inch size chunks. Toss squash with 2 tbsp of olive oil, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tsp onion power, then spread out on a large baking sheet in a single layer.
- Roast the butternut squash at 425F for about 30 minutes, until soft and caramelized. Remove cooked squash from oven and let cool. Turn off the oven.
- While the squash is roasting, cook and prep everything else.
FARRO COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the uncooked farro to a medium pot. Add the water (or broth) to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then adjust heat to low. Simmer farro for 20-25 minutes, until cooked to al dente (like pasta).
- Drain and rinse the farro with cold water, then immediately drizzle with olive oil to keep from sticking together.
- Let cooked farro cool on the counter while you prep remaining ingredients.
CINNAMON BERRY VINAIGRETTE INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all salad dressing ingredients into mason jar. Close and shake vigorously to blend ingredients. Set salad dressing aside.
AUTUMN FARRO SALAD ASSEMBLY
- Peel, quarter, and chop the fennel bulb into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. You can discard the green fronds or use them for décor.
- Core and cut your apple into bite-size pieces, then add them to the bowl.
- Add the roasted butternut squash to the bowl, along with the cooked farro, arugula, craisins, pecans, and pistachios.
- Pour half the salad dressing over the ingredients, then toss to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper, or more salad dressing, as desired. Serve Autumn Farro Salad at room temperature or cold.
