Harvest Farro Salad

Get the best of fall with this Harvest Farro Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and a Pomegranate Molasses Dressing. A seasonal favorite full of nutrition and delicious flavors for a side dish or main!

I knew when Jess agreed to join Team Maven that it would be a huge asset to us. Not only is she insanely talented in the kitchen, but she is literally the ying to my yang. Where I’m disorganized, she’s a neat freak. Where I don’t have the patience to test recipes 5 times, she finds joy in it. Where I forget (more like intentionally don’t remember) to clean my stove-top, she’s scrubbed it before she’s even settled in to our home. We both share a deep love for Bodhi though.

What I didn’t expect was that not only would she be a huge contributor to THM, but my Mom would also try to adopt her (that or marry her off to my brother – either works!). Like many of you, Jess has gotten to know Mama Maven over the past few years. Lucky for her, she got to meet her when she was in town last year. Sparks literally flew. While I’m certain my Mom loves me and both my sisters, Jess is 100% the daughter she kind of wishes she had. To be fair, she’s kind of the sister I wish I had. Some people even confuse us for being sisters. I’m not mad about it!

Harvest Farro Salad Ingredients

• Butternut or delicata squash
• Farro
• Medjool dates
• Currants (optional)
• Pistachios
• Olives (Castelvetrano are ideal!)
• Fresh parsley and mint
• Lemon
• Olive oil
• Pomegranate molasses
• Maple syrup
• Apple cider vinegar – champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar work great too.
• Seasonings and spices – cumin, sumac, cinnamon, cardamom and salt.

What is Farro?

Farro is one of the most underrated grains in my opinion! So many people stick to rice or quinoa if they’re feeling bold but farro is one of my favorite grains to use in a variety of dishes. Farro is a protein and fiber packed whole grain. It has a mild nutty flavor and chewy texture. It’s a hearty grain that holds up well in soups, stews and casseroles but also works great with salads! 

How to Cook Squash

If you’re using butternut squash, start by peeling the skin with a vegetable peeler. If you are using a delicata squash, the skin gets soft enough during cooking to eat!

Carefully cut the squash into cubes and coat with olive oil and salt. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast at 400ºF for about 30 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking time.

How to Prep Ahead of Time

This salad honestly keeps getting better as the flavors marinate together. To prep ahead of time, cook the farro and squash. Mix the dressing up separately to store. Combine the squash, farro, dates, currants and olives and store in an airtight container. Wrap chopped herbs in a damp towel or paper towel and store in an airtight container. Store everything in the refrigerator for up to five days.

When you’re ready to serve, stir in the pistachios, dressing and herbs right before serving.

Harvest Farro Salad

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Get the best of fall with this Harvest Farro Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and a Pomegranate Molasses Dressing. A seasonal favorite full of nutrition and delicious flavors for a side dish or main!

• Author: Jess @ The Healthy Maven
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 90 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Cook
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Dressing:

• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar work great too!)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sumac
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of cardamon
• juice from 1/2 a lemon

For the Salad:

• 2 lbs butternut or delicata squash
• 1 cup uncooked farro
• 4 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 cup currants (optional)
• 3/4 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
• 1/2 cup castelvetrano olives, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves picked and chopped
• 1 bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped
• zest from 1 lemon

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Instructions

1. Cook farro according to instructions.
2. Peel and cube the squash. Coat with olive oil and salt and roast at 400F for about 30 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking time.
3. Zest the lemon and set aside. Add the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake until combined.
4. Add cooked farro, roasted squash, pistachios, dates, currants, olives, pomegranate seeds and lemon zest to a big bowl. Add 1/3-1/2 of the dressing and toss to combine.
5. Add the herbs just before serving and toss once more to combine.

*This salad can be made a day ahead by leaving out the pistachios, dressing and herbs, adding those right before serving. Cover chopped herbs with a damp towel/paper towel and store in an airtight container.

Like this post? Here are other grain salads you might enjoy:

• Farro Caprese Salad
• Quinoa Mint Salad
• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Bulgur Wheat Salad
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts Farro Salad