Warm farro salad with dates, goat cheese and roasted butternut squash is a nutrient-packed vegetarian dinner. In this recipe, warm farro is tossed with roasted butternut squash, zucchini, and broccoli in a tangy but light honey-Dijon vinaigrette. Chickpeas add protein while dates add sweetness and chunks of goat cheese add salt. A little kale gets into the mix for more color. This warm farro salad is topped off with roasted almonds for crunch. All the goodness of fall in every bite!
When fall arrives, I start craving warm grain salads. And goat cheese. And roasted squash. And things with crunch. This warm farro salad checks all the boxes. The recipe requires a few steps but works great for those who meal prep.
Warm Farro Salad
Hopefully you are already familiar with farro, which I like to describe as brown rice’s more sophisticated cousin. Farro is not rice, it is an ancient grain. But it can be described as similar in flavor to brown rice, only more nutty and satisfying in my opinion.
I discovered farro at least 10 years ago and fell in love. Farro is a staple in Mediterranean and Italian cooking. It’s high in protein and fiber so it is considered healthier than rice or pasta.
Warm farro salads provide a great chewy texture and nutty flavor, similar to the texture of biting whole grain pasta versus white. They are endlessly customizable. You cook farro similar to the way you cook rice, but it’s a lot more forgiving.
Dates and Goat Cheese and …. ?
The inspiration for this warm farro salad recipe came after having lunch with a girlfriend at a local restaurant. She ordered a salad that had dates and big chunks of goat cheese (but it also had cornbread chunks, romaine, tomatoes and corn which I didn’t think harmonized with the dates and goat cheese). I tried it, and then I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I liked the chewy sweetness of the dates and the salty goat cheese together.
I played around with the idea in my head and quickly decided those two would pair nicely in a warm farro salad. It needed a protein and I considered salmon (which might be a good side for this warm farro salad) but landed on chickpeas. From there, it was really about adding color and crunch.
The first time I made this warm farro salad, I only used roasted zucchini and kale. It was all about the goat cheese and the dates. But I felt like I was still missing one more ingredient to round everything out.
I liked the kale which wilted down easily when mixed with the warm farro, but I wasn’t sold on the zucchini. Still, it was really a yummy and satisfying dinner. Warm farro salad with sweet dates and creamy goat cheese was definitely a winner.
Eating for the Season
When I hit my local farmer’s market last Saturday, the final ingredient revealed itself. Roasted butternut squash! Not only would that add the right flavor, it would add some needed color.
The final recipe included the roasted butternut squash and zucchini, plus some broccoli. I like this combo, but if you don’t have all of those ingredients on hand, I would prioritize the butternut squash.
Meal Prep It
Warm farro salad requires a few steps. I usually do some meal prep on weekends because I know I don’t want to spend more than an hour on a weeknight (and usually a lot less than that). Farro can be made in advance and reheated easily. You might also decided to roast the veggies in advance, but I prefer roasted veggies right out of the oven.
If you organize yourself, this warm farro salad can be made from scratch in 50-60 minutes. It’s really about prepping everything and then putting it all together. Boil the farro, marinate the chickpeas, roast the veggies and make the vinaigrette. Much less effort than you might think, but well worth the effort.
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite size chunks
- 1 small zucchini, halved and sliced into pieces (optional)
- 1 cup broccoli florets (optional)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 cup kale, chopped
- 5 pieces pitted dates, cut into 4 pieces each
- 6 oz goat cheese (most of a small log package)
- 1 tbsp champagne vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 cup almonds, toasted
Instructions
Cook the Farro
- Cook 1 cup of farro according to package directions. This typically involves boiling for 10-20 minutes. Set aside or allow to cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
Marinate the Chickpeas
- In a small dish, stir the rinsed chickpeas with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season with cumin and cinnamon. Set aside.
Roast the Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add chopped butternut squash to the baking sheet. Add zucchini and broccoli if using. Drizzle all with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. If using broccoli, sprinkle it with the garlic powder. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the baking tray from oven. Add the chickpeas to the baking sheet and return to the oven until vegetables are cooked to your desired consistency, 7-10 more minutes. Remove from oven.
Make the Vinaigrette
- In a small dish, whisk together the vinegar, Dijon and honey. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Toast Almonds
- This is totally optional if you can't find toasted almonds. Dry toast some sliced or chopped almonds on a dry pan over low heat for roughly 8 minutes.
Make the Warm Farro Salad
- Place the warm farro in a large mixing bowl (reheat for 30 seconds in microwave if you meal prepped in advance). Add the roasted veggies and chickpeas (also reheat first if needed). Add the chopped dates and kale. Pour the vinaigrette over the farro and toss well to coat. Add the goat cheese in big chunks and the toasted nuts, toss gently to combine. Divide into two serving bowls and serve
Nutrition
Ready for More?
If you like warm farro salads, check out Lemony-Dill Salmon Farro Salad, Smoky Farro and Grilled Pineapple Bowl, Roasted Carrot and Farro Salad with Tarragon and Prosciutto and Golden Beet Farro with Honey-Dill Ricotta.
