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This Warm Farro Salad with Cranberries & Pistachios has just about every color of the rainbow. A colorful and filling vegan dish. Yellow pepper, carrot, celery, kale, edamame and dried cranberries are mixed with warm farro and tossed in a lovely, lemon vinaigrette.

A white bowl of warm farro with cranberry and pistachios and a plate of grilled shrimp

Just because the cold weather is here doesn’t mean we can’t eat salads. This is a perfect warm Winter dinner side dish for chicken, shrimp or any lean meat. I served it with simply sautéed citrus and chili shrimp.

What is farro? Farro is a nutrient-packed whole grain. With a chewy texture and nutty flavor, can be used in place of rice in just about any dish.

Farro and vegetables in a pan with a wooden spoon

There’s a lot going on in this Warm Farro Salad with Cranberries & Pistachio Salad and as well as it all being good for you, all the flavors complement each other. From the nutty farro to the sweet, tangy cranberries, to the bright lemon dressing. Every flavor note is being hit.

Drizzling oil to make salad dressing

The simple dressing takes minutes to make, fresh lemon juice, sweet honey, smokey cumin and olive oil are mixed.

The farro is added to a pan with salt and pepper, covered with water and simmered for 20 minutes. The vegetables are sautéed in oil until tender then everything is mixed in the pan. Easy!

Farro is a very flavorful and nutty grain that makes it easy to eat start the New Year eating right with plenty of antioxidants, fiber and vitamins, they  help you explore flavors and new dishes in a healthy way by adding healthy vegetables and lean protein.

They say to ‘eat the rainbow’ and this is certainly the case with this colorful and delicious salad.

This salad is a healthy side dish when served with Grilled Shrimp (see below)

Dipping grilled shrimp into ginger lemon sauce

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Yield: 6

Warm Farro Salad with Cranberries & Pistachios

A colorful bowl of vegetable farro

Yellow pepper, carrot, celery, kale, edamame and dried cranberries are mixed with warm farro and tossed in a lovely, lemon vinaigrette. 

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the dressing:

  • 1/3 cup (78 ml) lemon juice, 2 large lemons
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup (78 ml) olive oil

For the salad:

  • 1 cup (453 grams) farro
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium or 1 small onion, dice small
  • 1/2 yellow pepper, diced small
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and diced small
  • 1 stalk celery, diced small
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup (67 grams) chopped kale
  • 1 cup (155 grams) frozen shelled Edamame, cooked according to package directions
  • 1/3 cup (32 grams) dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup (50 grams) unsalted, roasted pistachios
  • 1 teaspoon freshly chopped dill

Instructions

For the dressing:

  1. To a mixing bowl add all of the ingredients except olive oil.
  2. Whisk as you drizzle in the olive oil, set aside.

For the salad:

  1. Add farro to a saucepan, add enough water to cover and bring water to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the farro is tender. Strain and set aside.
  2. To the same saucepan add oil and heat over medium heat.
  3. Add onion, pepper, carrots and celery. Cook until softened and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon water to the pan and simmer until the carrots are tender and the water has evaporated.
  5. Stir in the kale and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
  6. Turn off the heat and stir in the edamame, farro, dressing, cranberries and pistachios.
  7. Serve warm garnished with chopped dill.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 450Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 23gCholesterol 0mgSodium 734mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 8gSugar 20gProtein 10g
© Culinary Ginger
Cuisine: American / Category: Salad