Farro Salad Bowl with Fennel, Oranges & Almonds (Print version)

Nutty farro meets crisp fennel, sweet oranges, and toasted almonds in a light citrus vinaigrette for a satisfying Mediterranean-inspired bowl.

# What you'll need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables & Fruit

04 - 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced with fronds reserved
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 2 cups mixed salad greens

→ Nuts & Seeds

08 - ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

→ Vinaigrette

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
11 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - ½ teaspoon honey
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Rinse farro under cold water. Combine farro, water, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until tender but chewy. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
02 - Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large salad bowl, combine cooled farro, fennel, orange segments, red onion, and mixed salad greens. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine.
05 - Sprinkle toasted almonds and reserved fennel fronds on top. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the rare salad that's equally satisfying as a light dinner or an impressive lunch you'll actually want to pack.
  • Farro has this incredible chewy texture that makes you feel like you're eating something substantial, even though it's completely plant-based.
  • The flavors taste like they've been building for days, but it comes together in less than an hour.
02 -
  • Farro absolutely needs to be drained and cooled before it hits the greens, or everything turns into a warm mush and the salad loses its personality.
  • The fennel slices wilt slightly once they sit with the vinaigrette, which is actually perfect—they become silky instead of aggressively crunchy.
  • Toast your almonds fresh right before eating; this makes the difference between a forgettable salad and one that's actually memorable.
03 -
  • If you can't find fresh farro, spelt and barley behave almost identically—same cooking time, same satisfying chew, same ability to absorb the dressing.
  • Blood oranges aren't just beautiful; their slightly earthy sweetness adds a sophistication that regular oranges can't match, especially if you're serving this at a dinner party.
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