Farro and Asparagus Salad

Chewy farro and tender asparagus make this a hearty vegetarian salad with plenty of protein!

This past weekend, we stopped at the South of the James farmer’s market here in Richmond and I picked up a bunch of asparagus. Typically I just roast it in the oven but yesterday, I was craving a salad. Rather than using greens as the base, I wanted something a little more filling so I decided to use farro. If you haven’t tried farro, it’s sort of like a chewy, hearty, brown rice. I love the texture because it can stand up to ingredients like asparagus and just a 1/4 cup serving of uncooked farro has 7g of protein!

Although there are a few steps in this recipe, it actually comes together quite easily. The farro and the asparagus can cook at the same time, while you whisk up your dressing, and then it’s a matter of just tossing it all together. I ate mine at room temperature but you could honestly serve this hot or cold and it would be just as good!

Farro and Asparagus Salad

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• Author: Liz Thomson
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Salad

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Description

Chewy farro and tender asparagus make this a hearty vegetarian salad with plenty of protein!

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Ingredients

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• 3/4 cup farro (uncooked)
• 1/2 lb of asparagus
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 oz pecorino romano cheese, grated.

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Instructions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and then add the farro. Cook according to the package until tender. (I used the quick cooking farro from Trader Joe’s so mine was ready in about 10 minutes.)
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.
3. Once the oil is shimmering, add the asparagus, cover, and cook for 5 minutes until bright green.
4. Remove the lid and continue to cook the asparagus until it begins to brown, turning them so they’re evenly cooked.
5. While those cook, zest the lemon and then squeeze the lemon juice into a dish. Whisk together with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
6. When the farro is done cooking, drain the excess water and rinse the farro in a colander.
7. When the asparagus is done, transfer to a cutting board and chop into 1″ pieces.
8. Toss the farro, chopped asparagus, and lemon dressing in a large dish.
9. Top with almond and grated cheese, then serve!

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If we’re being totally honest, I was literally taking bites right out of the bowl while I was photographing this. I spilled quite a bit of farro in the process because I was running around the kitchen trying to clean up while simultaneously stealing bites out of the bowl and spilling more on the floor. It was kind of ridiculous, but it was so tasty that I just couldn’t put my fork down! As soon as I put the camera down, I polished off the rest of this plate!

The other great thing about a salad like this is you can make it ahead of time and not have to worry about it getting soggy. I have leftovers packed up for my lunch today!

What veggies are you loving right now?