Farro Salad With Fennel Oranges Almonds (Printable)

Nutty farro meets crisp fennel, sweet oranges, and toasted almonds in a bright citrus dressing. A refreshing Mediterranean dish perfect for lunch or sides.

# Components:

→ Grain

01 - 1 cup uncooked whole grain farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Produce

04 - 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced with fronds reserved for garnish
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 2 cups arugula or baby spinach
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Nuts

08 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Method:

01 - Rinse farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine farro, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until farro is tender but still chewy. Drain excess water and allow to cool.
02 - While farro cooks, toast sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooled farro, sliced fennel, orange segments, arugula or spinach, and fresh parsley.
04 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
05 - Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat evenly. Add toasted almonds and toss lightly. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve immediately or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like sunshine but actually fills you up, so you're not reaching for snacks an hour later.
  • The textures keep surprising you with every bite—creamy farro meeting that crisp fennel snap.
  • It gets better as it sits, so meal prep becomes your secret weapon instead of a chore.
02 -
  • Cook your farro just until tender—even 5 extra minutes can turn it into porridge, and you'll regret it immediately.
  • Let the farro cool completely before mixing it with the greens, or the heat will wilt everything into submission before the dressing even gets involved.
03 -
  • Toast your almonds just before assembling the salad so they stay crispy and don't get soggy from the dressing.
  • Make extra dressing because you'll want to drizzle it over everything, and this vinaigrette is honestly good enough to use on other salads all week long.
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