Sweet Potato Farro Salad

This Sweet Potato-Farro Salad stars our new favorite anti-inflammatory grain–farro! With roasted sweet potatoes, sweet cranberries, salty pistachios, and a completely irresistible lemon dressing, this salad is a hit with everyone that tries it!

Love a good grain salad? Try this favorite Quinoa Salad Recipe, Bulgur Salad, or Wild Rice Salad next.

Our Favorite Farro Salad

If you’ve never tried farro, I’m here to convince you that it needs to be in your life with this recipe! It’s one of my all-time favorite grains and might just take the #1 spot with how we prepare it in this salad.

Farro is a whole grain similar to brown rice. It has a wonderful chewy yet tender texture with a slightly nutty flavor. Originating from the Tuscan region of Italy, farro is very filling, rich in protein, and high in fiber.

We cook the farro in apple cider, which not only adds a delicious flavor but also gives it a subtle sweetness.

The way I prepare the farro for this salad makes it unbelievably delicious. I was inspired by Chef Ryan Hardy of the Italian-influenced Charlie Bird restaurant in New York City.

What Does Farro Taste Good With?

I cook farro in apple cider and chicken broth with sea salt and bay leaves. This makes the most flavorful farro.

• Apple cider. Make sure to use real apple cider, not apple cider vinegar. Cider is an unfiltered, unsweetened, non-alcoholic drink made from apples. Farro cooked in vinegar would taste awful!
• Chicken broth. The better the broth, the better the farro will taste. Use homemade chicken broth or a good quality brand like Swanson® (not sponsored, just a fan).
• Bay leaves. These add a subtle bitterness that keeps the farro from tasting too heavy, making the flavors balanced and lively.
• Salt. This brings all the flavors to life. Don’t be afraid to add a pinch more if needed.

Farro Salad Dressing

Below we’ll break down the ingredients in this dressing, interspersed with specific ingredient tips!

• Dijon mustard. I love Grey Poupon® Dijon best. Make sure to use Dijon, not yellow mustard. There’s a big flavor difference!
• Olive oil. The better the olive oil, the better the vinaigrette will taste. I recommend extra virgin olive oil.
• Honey. For a sweeter dressing, add more honey slowly to taste.
• Lemons. Bottled lemon juice doesn’t have the same flavor as fresh lemons, which are one of the main flavors here. The dressing also benefits from lemon zest, so use fresh lemons.
• Red wine vinegar. I add red wine vinegar for extra tang and flavor, instead of relying only on lemon juice.
• Salt and pepper. No dressing is complete without salt and pepper. Add to taste, remembering that an extra pinch can make the difference between a good and a stellar dressing!

What Is Farro Salad Made Of?

This salad contains farro (of course), which is hulled wheat grains. Combine it along with roasted sweet potatoes, an arugula/spinach mix, dried sweetened cranberries, salted pistachios, and an apple. We drizzle everything in a simple lemon-honey vinaigrette.

Below are a few more ingredient-specific details:

• Roasted sweet potatoes. If you’ve never roasted sweet potatoes, you’re in for a serious treat! They are amazing in this salad recipe. Check out our Roasted Sweet Potatoes recipe post for more details on this portion of the recipe. Once you try them, you’ll be convinced! These are nothing like boiled and mashed yams you may have had years ago.
• Pistachios. Save time (and your fingers!) by purchasing shelled pistachios. We love roasted and lightly salted pistachios best — more flavor without any extra effort on your part. (Here are the ones we use in this salad.)
• Apple. Choose your favorite variety–we love Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady best. If you want more of a tart flavor, try Granny Smith instead.

More Salad Recipes

• Winter Salad with a creamy maple dressing
• Grapefruit Salad with a balsamic vinaigrette
• Jennifer Aniston Salad made with quinoa or bulgur
• Blueberry Corn Salad with a fresh basil dressing
• Tuna Nicoise Salad with green beans, potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs

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5 from 2 votes

Farro Salad

By Chelsea Lords

This Sweet Potato-Farro Salad features the best anti-inflammatory grain—farro! Packed with roasted sweet potato, sweet cranberries, salty pistachios, and topped with a zesty lemon dressing, this salad is a crowd pleaser.

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings, as a side

Equipment

• Medium pot
• large sheet pan,

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Farro

• ▢ 1 cup plain pearled farro see note 1
• ▢ 1 cup apple cider not apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth or water
• ▢ 2 bay leaves

Salad

• ▢ 2-1/4 cups sweet potatoes 1 to 2 large potatoes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 3 tightly packed cups arugula and baby spinach mix optional, see note 2
• ▢ 1/3 cup roasted and salted pistachios coarsely chopped
• ▢ 1/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• ▢ 1 large Fuji apple diced
• ▢ Goat cheese or feta or shaved Parmesan cheese, optional

Dressing

• ▢ 1 large lemon
• ▢ 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
• ▢ 2 teaspoons honey
• ▢ 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a medium pot, add farro, apple cider, chicken broth, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until farro is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. (Add more liquid if it is all absorbed and farro is not tender, or drain off excess liquid if farro is tender and there is still liquid.) Remove and discard bay leaves. Place in fridge to cool down while preparing the rest of the salad.
• Meanwhile, peel and chop sweet potato(s) into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to a large sheet pan and drizzle on 1 tablespoon oil. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper. Toss to coat and space out on pan in an even layer. Bake 15 minutes, then flip/stir around and bake another 10–15 minutes or until tender.
• While potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing. Zest and juice lemon to get 1/4 teaspoon zest and 1-1/2 tablespoons juice. Combine zest and juice with all dressing ingredients in a jar. Season to taste (1 add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper). Shake to combine and place in the fridge until ready to use.
• Once farro is cool, add 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing and mix through.
• Coarsely chop pistachios (or leave whole if desired) and chop the apple. In a large bowl, add the arugula and spinach mix. Top with completely cooled farro, completely cooled sweet potato, pistachios, apple, and dried cranberries. Only add dressing to what you will be eating immediately. Toss with dressing to taste. (You might not use all the dressing, but I do add it all.) If desired, top with cheese (to personal taste preference).

Recipe Notes

Note 1: If you already have cooked farro, you’ll need 3 cups cooked and cooled farro. Here is my favorite way to make a big batch of farro and use in recipes (like this one!) throughout the week.

Note 2: I add 3 cups (tightly packed) of this arugula and spinach mix if I plan to eat the entire salad in one sitting. If you’d prefer to make this as a meal prep type meal, leave out the lettuce and keep nuts and cheese separate.

Storage: This salad doesn’t sit well with the dressing—it wilts the toppings and greens quickly. If you aren’t planning to eat the entire salad in one sitting, toss and add dressing, nuts, and cheese to the amount you’ll be eating, and store leftovers separately. Undressed, the salad stays fresh for 3–4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 370mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 14277IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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