Recipe for Farro, Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad at Life's Ambrosia

I’ve been on a roll in the kitchen this last week when it comes to making dishes for Thanksgiving. This yummy farro, cranberry and goat cheese salad is just one of the recent successes. It has nutty farro, tart cranberries and creamy goat cheese. Then it is all tossed in a sweet and tangy balsamic vinaigrette. All of these ingredients make this a hearty, healthy, flavorful salad that is a must have addition to your Thanksgiving table.

When I bought a huge bag of Farro at Costco last week I didn’t really know what I was going to do with it. I took to Facebook to ask for recommendations and I got some good suggestions and I also got a lot of people saying that they bought the same bag and didn’t have a clue what to do with it.Well bugger. I knew there had to be recipes out there just begging to be created.

For those that don’t know, farro is a grain popular in rustic Italian cooking. It has a nutty flavor and works well as a substitute for rice or pasta. So really, if you have some, you can do just about anything with it. Make a risotto with it. Serve it underneath some chicken curry or a hot pasta sauce. For this recipe, I chose to make a salad. And now, seeing how versatile it actually is, I am excited to see what else I can do with it.

Farro, Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad Recipe

A healthy, hearty salad with farro, cranberries and goat cheese all tossed in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

Serves 6

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

2 cups pearled farro
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
8 ounces goat cheese crumbles

Instructions:

Cook farro according to package directions. Drain. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
While farro is cooking, whisk balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic powder and rosemary together in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Allow to sit at room temperature.
Once farro has cooled, toss with cranberries, parsley and goat cheese.
When you are ready to serve the salad, pour dressing over the top. Toss well. Serve at room temperature.

Note: You can make this salad ahead of time and refrigerate it but just allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!

Responses to "Farro, Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad"

“
This is so wonderful. I must get to Whole Foods, the only place I can get farro. We use dried cranberries often in our house and are both fond of goat cheese. I’m thinking that gorgonzola might be good, especially given that I happen to have some in the fridge.
”

- StephenC