Photo Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post
Farro, an ancient grain, is the heart of this salad, where its nutty toothsomeness is matched with a bold combo of crunchy walnuts, salty feta cheese, aromatic fresh herbs and hearty greens. This Herbed Farro Salad with Walnuts, Feta, and Spinach holds up well in the refrigerator, so you can dip into it at home when you need a quick bite, or pack and take to work for lunch. It’s a nice vegetarian main on its own but is also delicious topped with some simply grilled or roasted chicken or meat.
Herbed Farro Salad with Walnuts, Feta, and Spinach
Ingredients
1 cup farro
½ cup walnut pieces
2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves, chopped
½ English cucumber, diced
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (2/3 cup)
1 scallion, green and white parts, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh dill fronds, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place the farro in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by about 1 inch (about 3 cups water). Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the farro is tender but still has some chewiness, about 30 minutes. Drain, then transfer the farro to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool, then coarsely chop.
Add the spinach, cucumber, feta cheese, scallions, parsley, dill, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1 ½ cups
Per serving: Calories 370; Total Fat 18g (Sat Fat 5g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 410mg; Total Carbohydrates 38g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Protein 13g
Copyright 2016 Ellie Krieger All rights reserved
