Warm Farro Salad with Roasted Carrots and Beetroot

This is a beautiful and nourishing salad for the cooler months. Winter salads needn’t rely on lettuce or feel cold and insubstantial. Roasted vegetables, chewy grains, fresh herbs and toasted nuts create a salad that is colourful, satisfying and full of flavour. This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Pearl barley, brown rice or quinoa can replace the farro, and almost any roasted vegetables will work. Use the herbs and nuts you have on hand, and add feta, goat’s cheese or chickpeas to make it even more substantial. Double the recipe for a generous family-sized salad with plenty of weekday leftovers.

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Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Diet: Vegetarian

Recipe Flag: farro, roasted vegetables, salad

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Servings:

Calories: 339kcal

Author: Nellie Kerrison | Relish Mama

Cost: 16

Equipment

2 Baking trays
Aluminium foil
Large saucepan
Colander
Large mixing or serving bowl
Small bowl or lidded jar for the dressing
Whisk
Sharp knife
Chopping board

Ingredients

600 g carrots peeled if needed and cut into chunky bite-sized pieces
2 beetroot medium sized, scrubbed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
¾ cup farro
2 handfuls rocket
¼ cup toasted walnuts hazelnuts, pistachios or almonds, roughly chopped
A generous handful of fresh herbs such as parsley, dill or chives, roughly chopped
100 g feta or goat’s cheese -crumbled, optional

Dressing

30 ml extra virgin olive oil
30 ml mayonnaise regular or vegan
30 ml white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Place each beetroot on a piece of foil. Drizzle with a little of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and wrap securely. Place on a baking tray and roast for approximately 50–70 minutes, depending on their size, or until a small sharp knife passes easily through the centre.
Allow the beetroot to cool enough to handle, then gently rub away the skins and cut the flesh into medium-sized pieces.
While the beetroot is roasting, place the carrots on a separate baking tray. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss well, then spread the carrots into a single layer.
Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once or twice, until tender, golden and slightly crisp around the edges.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and season it generously with salt. Add the farro and cook according to the packet instructions, or for approximately 25–30 minutes, until tender but still pleasantly chewy.
Drain the farro well and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth and combined. Alternatively, place them in a jar, secure the lid and shake well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Add half of the dressing to the farro while it is still warm and toss well. Allow it to cool slightly.
Add the roasted carrots, beetroot, rocket and fresh herbs. Gently toss everything together, taking care not to break up the beetroot too much.
Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Scatter over the toasted nuts and the feta or goat’s cheese, if using. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

For a nut-free salad, replace the nuts with toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

For a gluten-free version, replace the farro with quinoa, brown rice or buckwheat.

The salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days. For the freshest result, store the rocket, nuts and some of the dressing separately and add them just before serving.

Nutrition