Farro Salad With Fennel Oranges (Printable Version)

Nutty farro meets crisp fennel, sweet oranges, and toasted almonds in bright citrus dressing.

# 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 for garnish
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 2 cups fresh 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 fresh orange juice
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh 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:

01 - Rinse farro under cold water. Combine farro, water, and kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender yet chewy. Drain excess water and allow to cool completely.
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.
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, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
05 - Pour vinaigrette over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Add toasted almonds and toss lightly to incorporate. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent way more time thinking about it.
  • The combination of textures and flavors keeps your mouth genuinely interested with every bite.
  • It's wholesome enough to feel virtuous but delicious enough that you won't feel like you're eating "healthy food."
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the farro—if you dress it while it's warm, it'll soak up all the dressing and you'll end up with something that tastes flat and one-note instead of balanced.
  • Toast your almonds in a dry pan, not with oil, so they actually crisp up and develop that nutty depth instead of just becoming oily nuts.
03 -
  • If you're making this for a crowd, hold the dressing separate and let people dress their own portions right before eating so it stays crisp.
  • A crisp Sauvignon Blanc alongside this is genuinely one of those perfect food and wine moments—the acidity echoes the citrus in the salad and it just works.
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