Made with hearty grains and light spring greens, this Asparagus and Arugula Farro Salad is an excellent side dish, but it’s also substantial enough to be a meal on its own.
Forgotten farro
I’ve had half a package of Trader Joe’s quick cooking farro in my pantry for about six months now. I had forgotten about it, but after I did a little spring cleaning, I discovered it hiding behind a box of whole wheat fusilli and bag of sushi rice. I started plotting what to make with it.
I have a couple other farro recipes here on my blog. There’s the Farro Salad with Apples and Pecans, which is very much a fall dish. There’s also the Baked Farro With Tomatoes and Herbs is from Veganomicon, 10th Anniversary Edition, which is a great dish to make when craving warm comfort food. But as it’s spring and the weather is finally warming up here, I wanted something lighter.
Farro salad
I had clipped a few spring farro recipes from magazines. Of course, they were all loaded with dairy products, so none of them were vegan. I used them as inspiration for this vegan Asparagus and Arugula Farro Salad recipe.
This salad comes together in a snap, especially if you’re using quick-cooking farro. You simply cook the farro, make the dressing, and then mix together the salad ingredients!
Versatile Recipe
I like to use my Tofu Feta in this recipe, but you can use your favorite store-bought vegan cheese, if you like. Any cooked grain will work in this salad, but there’s something about farro’s chewy texture that really complements the asparagus and arugula. You can use baby spinach or baby kale instead of arugula, if you prefer.
The cucumber-tahini dressing that accompanies this salad is so good that you might want to make extra and freeze it for future salads. I like to use it as a dip for carrot sticks and cut celery.
If you’re having this is a side salad, you’ll get about 6 servings from it. If it’s your main meal, you’ll get 2 or 3 servings. It’s hearty enough to hold up in the fridge for a day or two.
Asparagus and Arugula Farro Salad
If you’re having this is a side salad, you’ll get about 6 servings from it. If it’s your main meal, you’ll get 2 or 3 servings. It’s hearty enough to hold up in the fridge for a day or two.
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3-4 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 English cucumber, sliced, divided, about 1½ cups
- 4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed (about 8 ounces)
- 5 ounces arugula
- ¾ cup Tofu Feta
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped, loosely packed
Instructions
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Cook the farro according to the package directions. Allow to cool
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While the farro is cooking, mix the tahini, 3 tablespoons water, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, sea salt, pepper, and ¼ cup cucumber slices together in a high-speed blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon of water. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
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Use a vegetable peeler to slice the asparagus into thin strips.
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In a large bowl, toss the arugula together with the remaining cucumber slices, sliced radishes, feta, and cooked farro. Add the tahini dressing and gently toss until the salad is coated. Top with the toasted walnuts and parsley.
I might ADD spinach or kale, but not to replace my favorite arugula! 🙂 this is definitely my kind of salad – I can see enjoying this all summer long…
Spinach or kale would be a great addition!