Farro Salad Fennel Oranges Almonds (Printable)

Nutty farro meets crisp fennel, juicy oranges, and toasted almonds in a bright citrus dressing. A refreshing Mediterranean dish ready in 50 minutes.

# 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 (reserve fronds for garnish)
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 2 cups arugula or baby spinach
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Nuts

08 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed 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

# How to make it:

01 - Rinse the farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes, or until farro is tender but still chewy. Drain any excess water and let cool.
02 - While the farro cooks, toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooled farro, sliced fennel, orange segments, arugula (or spinach), and parsley.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
06 - Add toasted almonds and toss lightly. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately or chilled.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • The texture play alone is worth it—chewy farro against crisp fennel and juicy oranges makes every bite interesting
  • It's one of those rare salads that actually tastes better after the flavors hang out for a while
  • You can throw it together with mostly pantry staples and produce that lasts forever in the fridge
02 -
  • The farro needs to cool before you mix it with the greens, or you'll end up with wilted, sad arugula
  • Fennel can be polarizing, so slice it thinner than you think you need to—the texture should be delicate, not crunch
  • This salad actually benefits from sitting for 30 minutes before serving, letting the dressing soften the farro slightly
03 -
  • Rinse your farro until the water runs clear—it removes the dusty, starchy coating that can make it gummy
  • Supreme your oranges by cutting between the membranes, you get these perfect juice-filled segments without any bitter pith
  • Let the dressed salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving, the farro needs time to drink in all those flavors
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