About this recipe
I love a good salad with texture and tons of flavor. This vegan farro salad, featuring navy beans, kale, and a citrusy vinaigrette, is a complete dream. You can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
What is farro?
Farro is an ancient whole wheat grain rich in protein. It kind of looks like barely, but the grain is larger.It has a nutty flavor and a chewy texture, making it perfect for salads, soups, and stews. Farro is also very easy to find; you should be able to locate it next to the rice and other grains in your grocery store.
Orange vinaigrette
- Orange (juice and zest)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Maple syrup
- Good olive oil
Ingredient notes
- Kale, prep your kale by washing and separating the leaves from the stems. You can substitute other greens, such as spinach.
- Pomegranate seeds
- Navy beans, drain and rinse if you use canned beans. Substitute with lentils or fava beans.
- Farro, you could also make this vegan grain salad with brown rice or pasta.
- Apple, I like to use a mandoline to thinly slice my apples.
How to make the farro salad
First, make your vinaigrette. You can prepare it in your salad bowl or in a jar. This dressing recipe is precisely what you need to dress the farro salad.
Add the kale to the bowl and mix with the dressing. Add the farro, mix, and finish with the pomegranate seeds and the sliced apple.
How to cook farro?
I like to cook farro like pasta. I boil a big pot of water with a good pinch of salt, and then I add my farro. Let the farro cook for 20-25 minutes. Take one or two grains out and taste. It should be tender, yet retain its shape. When cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. You could also cook your farro in an Instant Pot.
Tip& other ideas
- Use barely or brown rice instead of farro.
- Substitute the orange vinaigrette with any other dressing or with a simple vinaigrette.
- Finish with fresh herbs like mint or basil
- Add nuts to the salad to make it heartier.
- If the orange juice is too sweet, skip the maple syrup in the dressing. If it is too sour, add a bit more.
Farro, kale and navy beans salad with orange vinaigrette
Equipment
- Salad bowl
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 orange about 1/2 -1/3 cup of juice, juice and zest
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove pressed
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- pinch of salt
- 9 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Salad
- 3 or 4 handfuls kale
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 can navy beans rinse and drain if needed
- 2 cups cooked farro
- 1/2 apple thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix the orange juice, zest of orange, apple cider vinegar, the garlic, dijon mustard, a pinch of salt, olive oil and maple syrup. Mix well.
- In a bowl add the kale, farro and beans. Dress slowly with the vinaigrette.
- Finish it up with the pomegranate seeds.
Notes
- Adjust the maple syrup if the orange juice is too sweet or too sour.
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- About the Author
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I’m Ale Graf, a Mexican living in Texas and the creator of AleCooks and Piloncillo&Vainilla. I share easy, family-friendly recipes—some Mexican, mostly plant-based—that can be enjoyed all day, every day. My focus is on recipes that bring people together around the table, making mealtime simple, delicious and meaningful. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino, and my recipes have been featured in numerous online magazines and publications.
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