Farro With Fennel Oranges Almonds (Printable Version)

Nutty farro meets crisp fennel and juicy oranges with toasted almonds in a bright citrus dressing.

# What You 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 with fronds reserved 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 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 until tender with a chewy texture. Drain excess water and cool completely.
02 - While farro cooks, toast sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and 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 dressing over salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Add toasted almonds and toss lightly. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's naturally gluten-free friendly and comes together in under an hour, which means you can actually pull this off on a weeknight.
  • The combination of chewy farro, sweet orange, and anise-forward fennel creates this perfect textural dance that keeps you coming back for another bite.
  • It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have mingled, so it's ideal for meal prep without any of the boredom.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad hours in advance unless you want soft, sad fennel—the acidity will turn it into mush, so add dressing within an hour of serving or save it on the side.
  • Toasting your own almonds is non-negotiable; pre-toasted ones develop a stale quality sitting in the bag, and you'll taste the difference immediately in the finished salad.
03 -
  • Always taste the dressing before adding it to the salad—a spoonful of it mixed with farro will show you exactly how it tastes in the finished dish, which is different from tasting it alone.
  • If your almonds aren't fragrant after toasting, they weren't fresh to begin with, so buy from places with high turnover if you want them to actually matter in the final salad.
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