This hearty winter salad is filled with chewy farro, roasted butternut squash, sweet pomegranate and tangy goat cheese. The ultimate whole grain side dish recipe!
Whenever I roast butternut squash I like to make a double batch to use later in the week in a hearty, whole grain salad. You can also toss it on a pizza, fold it into pasta and more.
The glory of whole grain salads is that you can use any grain you have on hand such as freekeh, quinoa, spelt, or even brown rice!
I happened to roast butternut squash with curry powder earlier in the week but feel free to roast it with any spices you wish such as cinnamon, cayenne or just salt and pepper.
Next, it’s time to build in lots of flavor and textures with different ingredients. Scallions, fresh herbs, juicy pomegranate and creamy goat cheese all balance one another out leading to a super delicious, flavorful salad.
For added nuttiness and crunch, I like to quickly toast my pistachios in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes before roughly chopping. If you don’t have pistachios on hand try using walnuts or pecans.
While fresh mint isn’t expected, it adds a bright, fresh flavor to this hearty farro and butternut squash salad. If you don’t have it on hand, no worries just skip it.
What would you mix into this hearty, winter salad? I’d love to hear from you.
Your fork is waiting.
Farro Salad with Butternut Squash, Pomegranate and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups farro (cooked according to package instructions)
- 2 cups Curry Roasted Butternut Squash (follow recipe instructions here )
- 4 ounces goat cheese (crumbled)
- ¼ cup pistachios (shelled, toasted and chopped)
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup green onions (minced)
- ½ cup parsley (minced)
- ¼ cup mint (minced)
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine cooked farro with all remaining ingredients (roasted squash through salt and pepper.) Toss well and adjust for seasoning if needed with added salt and pepper. Serve warm, cool or room temperature.
Nutrition
Find more satisfying salad recipe ideas on my Pinterest!
Delicious, and so pretty to serve! I’m on a Mediterranean diet for my elevated blood lipids, so I’m always on the lookout for whole grain recipes with loads of vegetables. I love the Middle Eastern flair, too. I make one major change to the recipe. I dice up a fennel bulb and roast it with the butternut squash instead of using spring onions (family allergy), Really compliments the rest of the flavors. When I can’t find a pomegranate, I’ll toss in 1/4 cup dried cranberries instead. I often serve the salad without goat cheese. It’s pretty and indulgent with it, but I find it just as tasty (if not more) without it. I’ll be looking for more whole grain and roasted vegetables on this site. And congrats on your fitness journey – you are an inspiration!
Great idea on the cranberries!! This salad is one of my favorites too!