Farro Salad with Asparagus, Red Bell Pepper, and Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Check your Farro to see if it seems like some of the hull is removed and decide whether to follow cooking instructions for perlato (semi-hulled) or whole grain Farro. (There's a photo of perlato Farro in my recipe for Farro with Mushrooms which can help you decide.) For perlato Farro: Have 1 3/4 water heating in a teakettle or pan so it will be boiling when you're ready to add it to the farro. Use a heavy pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add 1 cup farro to dry pan and toast over medium-high heat until it starts to look and smell toasted, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, and then carefully pour in the boiling water (it will boil up and sputter, so be careful.) Add pinch of salt, then turn heat back on to a low simmer, cover pan, and let cook until the farro is tender, but chewy, about 20 minutes. (I would start checking after about 15 minutes. You may need to add a tiny bit more water.) Drain water if needed. For whole-grain Farro: Put 1 cup Farro in a dry skillet over medium-high heat and toast, stirring often, until the Farro starts to pop and deepen in color, about 4 minutes. Put the toasted Farro and 1 1/2 cups water into the bowl of rice cooker and let soak 2 hours or more. Add 1 T olive oil and a pinch of salt, to rice cooker bowl, stir to combine, close cover and cook on brown rice cycle. When machine switches to keep warm setting, let Farro steam for 10-20 minutes more. Fluff with paddle before using in salad. (These Farro cooking instructions from The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook.) If you don't have a rice cooker, Toast Farro as described above, then follow instructions above for perlato Farro, but increase cooking time (start to check after 30 minutes, and cook until Farro is tender but still slightly chewy.) This printable recipe from Kalynskitchen.com, but unable to locate on the site any longer.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 08:51:08 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Moderate

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories372.6 kcal (19%)

Total Fat27 g (39%)

Carbs30.5 g (12%)

Sugars4 g (4%)

Protein5.9 g (12%)

Sodium339.3 mg (17%)

Fiber4.9 g (18%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

5 servings

1 cupFarro

can be perlato or whole grain Farro, but perlato will cook more quickly without soaking, notice different cooking methods

1 cupasparagus stalks

sliced, slice into small pieces

1 tsplemon juice

3 tspolive oil

divided 2 tsp + 1 tsp

1red bell pepper

diced into small pieces

⅔ cupgreen onions

sliced

½ cupfresh parsley

fresh ground, to taste

Dressing

¼ cupcapers

with juice

3 Tsun-dried tomatoes

1 tspDijon

¼ cupred wine vinegar

½ cupolive oil

Instructions

Step 1

While Farro cooks, put capers, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped parsley into bowl of food processor and process until well pureed.

Step 2

Scrape into bowl and stir in lemon juice, Dijon, and red wine vinegar, then whisk in olive oil.

Step 3

Taste for seasoning and add more lemon, vinegar, or Dijon of desired.

Step 4

Let dressing flavors blend.

Step 5

After Farro has cooked (and steamed if using rice cooker) remove it to a plastic or glass bowl, add about 1/4 cup dressing, and stir into Farro.

Step 6

If starting with whole asparagus, use the center part of the stems, throwing away woody ends and saving tips for another use. Slice enough asparagus to make 1 cup of slices about 1/2 inch thick.

Step 7

Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in heavy pan, then add asparagus and saute about 5 minutes, or until asparagus is starting to brown but it still slightly crisp.

Step 8

Toss asparagus with 1 tsp. lemon juice and place in bowl with the Farro.

Step 9

Chop red pepper into small dice

Step 10

Add 1 tsp. more olive oil to frying pan and saute red pepper about 1 minutes.

Step 11

Add red pepper to bowl with the Farro.

Step 12

Slice green onions and chop parsley and add to bowl with the Farro.

Step 13

Gently stir salad to combine ingredients, then add a bit more dressing until salad is as moist as you'd like it. (You may not need all the dressing.)