Farro Salad Fennel Oranges Almonds (Printable)

Wholesome Mediterranean grain salad with farro, crisp fennel, fresh oranges, and toasted almonds in bright citrus dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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, fronds reserved for garnish
05 - 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
06 - 2 cups arugula or baby spinach
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Nuts

08 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh 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

# How-To Steps:

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 yet 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 and set aside.
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 vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to coat evenly. Add toasted almonds and toss lightly. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately or chilled.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It actually tastes better the next day when the farro soaks up all that citrus-forward dressing.
  • You can throw it together in under an hour, which feels like a small miracle when you're feeding people something this elegant.
  • The combination of textures keeps every bite interesting—chewy grain, crisp fennel, juicy orange, crunchy almond.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than a couple hours before serving or the farro will absorb so much liquid it becomes heavy, though honestly this tastes even better the next day if you keep the dressing separate and add it fresh.
  • The toasting of almonds is non-negotiable—raw or stale store-bought toasted almonds will make the entire salad taste like you didn't try, and you absolutely did.
03 -
  • Buy whole grain farro from the bulk bin if your store has it—it's cheaper and fresher than the packaged stuff, and you only buy exactly what you need.
  • Toast your own almonds even if it seems like an extra step, because it's literally the difference between a good salad and one that makes people stop mid-conversation to ask what you did.
Return