This roasted apple farro salad solves the question of what side dish to make on a weeknight. It’s a simple grain salad with roasted apples & fennel, bulked up with arugula, and tossed in the most sensational maple mustard vinaigrette. Olive oil toasted pecans and grated aged gouda cheese are the two special touches that make this salad worth repeating all season long.
roasted apple farro salad – the inspiration
Grain salads always hit the spot during the fall and winter. While summer is best for crisp and refreshing combinations that are full of greens and crunchy vegetables, in the colder months, I crave richer, more satisfying salads.
Adding some type of grain, whether it’s quinoa, bulgur, rice, and in the case of this roasted apple salad, farro, is a great way to add that heartier element.
Farro is a staple grain in Italy. The texture is chewy with a really nice soft bite to it. The flavor is rich and nutty. You can serve it warm (this farro risotto is a lovely option) or cool it down and toss it into a salad.
To let the hearty texture of the farro shine, this recipe calls for only a few handfuls of arugula. The arugula is bright and peppery, a nice contrast to the sweet apples & roasted fennel.
A vinaigrette of grainy mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, shallots, and fresh thyme compliments the simple salad ingredients.
And my personal favorite ingredient…the olive oil toasted pecans. Toasting the pecans in olive oil, compared to in a dry pan, adds such a deeper flavor to the nuts. Add a pinch of salt to them and they’re absolutely addicting.
When everything is ready to be tossed together, the farro should be cooled to room temperature, but not cold. This allows the vinaigrette to soak in and flavor the farro much more vibrantly.
Toss and then plate. And the very final touch – freshly grated aged gouda cheese. I like to use a microplane and grate a generous amount of the gouda over each salad. Since it’s more common to grate hard cheeses over a dish, the softer gouda will add such a unique texture to this salad. And hopefully you find it just as delicious as I do!
PrintRoasted Apple Farro Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
a farro salad with arugula, roasted apples & fennel, olive oil toasted pecans, grated aged gouda cheese, and a maple mustard vinaigrette
servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry farro, rinsed
- ½ lb honeycrisp apples, cored + diced
- 1 small fennel bulb, cored + diced
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp grainy mustard
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp minced shallot
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- ½ cup pecans
- 2 ounces arugula (approximately 2 large handfuls)
- 1 small wedge aged gouda cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farro. Reduce the heat to medium-high and boil the farro for 30 minutes. Drain the farro and let it cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, add the diced apples and fennel to a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange the apples and fennel in an even layer. Season with salt and black pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until tender.
- Combine the grainy mustard, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Stir in the shallots and thyme. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Heat a 10” skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Once hot, add the pecans. Toast for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously (watch closely so they don’t burn). Season with a pinch of salt.
- To assemble, add the arugula, farro, roasted apples, roasted fennel, toasted pecans, and ¾ of the vinaigrette to a large mixing bowl. Toss well to combine. Taste the salad and season again if needed.
- Plate the salad. Spoon the remaining vinaigrette and grate the gouda cheese over top (as much or as little as you’d like).
