Searching for a great meatless Monday or vegan January salad? Look no further. My Farro and Kale Winter Salad is what you're looking for!
As I have shared with everyone before, in January I am focused on eating healthier. This includes increasing my veggie intake, which is made easy when I make this salad! While this salad does require a little bit of cooking to prepare the squash and farro, it is very easy to do. The farro is simply cooked in a pot much like rice, and the squash is roasted in the oven.
Both of these activities are passive, and you can basically set it and forget it. I recommend setting a timer though, I have accidentally forgotten to take food out of the oven only to realize too late that I have burnt it!
This is the perfect salad to have in winter. The farro has a chewy texture and nutty flavor that adds so many elements to this meal. The kale adds a great crunch, and butternut squash adds a sweet element that takes the salad to another level. I also love this salad because it is so pretty to look at!
How to Make the Best Farro and Kale Winter Salad
While the full recipe instructions are available below, here are some tips to make the best salad this winter!
First, we will prepare our farro and butternut squash for our salad. Be sure to rinse your farro before cooking it. This is important because it will remove any powdered residue before cooking. Simply bring vegetable broth and water to a boil and add the farro. Turn the heat to low and cover it to cook. Once the farro is ready, strain out the water. Place the farro aside to let it cool. Too cook the squash, slice it into small cubes and toss with olive oil and cinnamon. Spread it over a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven, tossing part way through cooking.
Now, we will prepare the rest of the ingredients for our salad. We will slice our kale and remove the center rib. This is important, because the center rib is very tough and bitter which is not what we want in our salad! Next, we need to massage the kale. This helps to break down some of the tough fibers and reduces the bitterness of the kale.
Next, we will prepare our dressing and then we can serve the salad! Add the balsamic vinegar and chopped shallot to a small mixing bowl. Let the shallot sit in the vinegar for up to five minutes. This helps to reduce the bite of the shallots. Remove the shallots from the vinegar and add the rest of the dressing ingredients and whisk together.
Finally, we can put our salad together! Toss the dressing and the farro together first to coat it well. Now, add the shallot, squash, and kale and toss well. Crumble some goat cheese over the salad and enjoy!
3 cups butternut squash, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp olive oil (separated into 1 tbsp and 2 tbsp)
1/2 cup shallot (1 medium shallot)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp cranberry juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp honey
5 cups kale, center rib removed, chopped and massaged
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F. Rinse and drain farro. Add the farro, water, vegetable stock, and salt to a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain any excess water and set aside to cool.
As the farro cooks, toss the squash in 1 tbsp olive oil and the cinnamon. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing it part way through cooking.
In a small mixing bowl, add the balsamic vinegar and shallot – let sit for up to 5 minutes. Remove the shallot and set aside. Add the garlic, cranberry juice, mustard, ginger, and honey to the balsamic vinegar and whisk together.
Toss the dressing and farro together to coat it well. Add the squash, kale, and shallot and toss together. Top with crumbled goat cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy!
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