A delicious fall inspired recipe featuring farro, a Mediterranean ancient grain, butternut squash and pomegranates. Perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner or potluck!
It’s finally fall! Nothing makes me more happy than enjoying seasonal produce, and for fall that means lots of squash and pomegranates!
This grain salad features one of my favorite grains, farro. If you haven’t tried farro, it’s an ancient wheat grain originating from the Mediterranean. It is common in Italian cuisine and has a nutty, chewy texture similar to barley.
It’s great in stews, salads, and side dishes and cooks similar to rice, with a ratio of 2 cups liquid to 1 cup farro.
Farro is a powerhouse for nutrition, providing an excellent source for fiber, protein, and nutrients including magnesium, zinc and iron.
Now on to this delicious fall inspired farro salad that’s so easy to make and is full of flavor. And if you decide you’d like more farro recipes, then check out my other farro recipe on this blog: Farro Lentil Salad with Maple Walnut Dressing.
Fall Roasted Butternut Squash and Farro Salad with Pomegranate
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro uncooked
- 2 cups water
- 1.5 cups diced butternut squash*
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ cup pomegranate arils**
- 3 cups mixed greens spring mix, spinach
- 2 scallions diced
For the dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400F.
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Cook farro by placing 1 cup farro in a pot and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 25 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and farro is cooked. Farro will have a chewy texture. Set aside to cool.
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Roast the butternut squash by placing it on a lined sheet pan and drizzle with the oil. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until squash is cooked or you can easily pierce through it. Set aside to cool.
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Make the dressing by whisking the extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup and salt.
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Pour the farro into a bowl. Add the vinaigrette and mix well.
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Add the butternut squash, scallions, and pomegranate arils, then mix until combined.
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When ready to eat, place a bed of the mixed greens on a plate. Add the farro mixture and mix with the greens. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*You can buy diced butternut squash from grocery stores in the produce section . Alternatively you can buy a whole butternut squash, peel it, scoop out the insides then dice it.
**You can buy ready to eat pomegranate arils from grocery stores in the produce section or you can buy a whole pomegranate and remove the pomegranate arils by submerging pomegranate quarters into a bowl of water and releasing the seeds with your hand.
If you have leftover farro mixture, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days without the mixed greens. When ready to eat, combine with the mixed greens and enjoy.
