FOOD NEWS
Farro Salad Is The Hearty Selection Your Fall Palate Desires
By Betsy Parks
Bigger than barley and nuttier than brown rice, farro is an ancient grain that makes amazing salads that stand up to strong dressings, herbs, and spices.
All you really need to do is cook a batch of farro and add some salad dressing, vegetables, and protein. Cooking time will depend on the type of farro variety you choose.
Whole, unhusked farro can take up to 30 minutes to cook, and parboiled farro varieties can be ready in 10 minutes flat. Simply boil the grains until they're al dente.
Regardless of what farro you use, let the grains sit in the sieve over the sink for about 10 minutes so that the water drains out. This will ensure your salad doesn't get soggy.
Farro is versatile and will be good with any vinaigrette dressing and vegetables. If an ingredient is tasty in a pasta or rice salad, it'll probably be good in farro salad, too.
You can also get creative by matching farro's flavors with the nutty, earthy flavor of the grain by using mushrooms, bitter greens, winter squash, toasted nuts, and seeds.