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Farro Salad with Spinach, Cranberries, Feta and Balsamic Dressing

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Vigo Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.

This easy Farro Salad with spinach, cranberries and feta, topped with balsamic dressing, is a delicious addition to your menu any time of year.  You’re going to love how healthy it is too!

This easy Farro Salad with spinach, cranberries and feta, topped with balsamic dressing, is a delicious addition to your menu any time of year.  You're going to love how healthy it is too!

Have you ever heard of farro? I’ve been wanting to try this ancient grain for years. I’m not sure what took me so long! But having finally tried it, I have to say it’s one of my new favorite grains. I’ve been cooking with it nonstop lately!

Vigo Farro Boil-In-Bag is pearled, which means the hull has been partly removed, resulting in a quicker cooking time. Each bag contains perfectly proportioned servings…no measuring necessary! Its hearty, slightly chewy texture and nutty flavor works well with many dishes, including salads, soups, stews, or casseroles. You might even consider changing up your breakfast routine and enjoying it in place of oatmeal!

This Farro Salad is definitely one of my new favorites. I’m always playing around with new salad ideas, which you can probably tell from my blog.  The farro pairs really nicely with the spinach, cranberries and feta and the hazelnuts in this salad add a nice crunch. The balsamic dressing is yummy too! My last batch went so quickly, I plan to make it again very soon!

The fact that it’s so healthy is a nice bonus! Owning a gym, and being part of a family of runners, nutrition is really important to me, so I try to be conscious of what I’m feeding my family.

Packed with nutritional benefits, farro is a great choice to replace some of the refined grains in your diet. Here’s why:

  • It’s an excellent source of protein. Paired with vegetables, farro can provide a complete source of protein to your diet. Its protein content is equivalent to lentils and beans. Protein helps us repair and rebuild muscles, which is essential for recovery after a workout.
  • It’s high in antioxidants. When we think of foods high in antioxidants, most of us think of fruits and vegetables.  But farro is a good source of the antioxidant lignans, which help reduce inflammation. That’s always a helpful addition to an athlete’s diet.
  • It’s a good source of fiber. Dietary fiber is beneficial to our digestive health, but it’s also a factor in helping to prevent heart disease. Plus, unprocessed grains tend to “fill you up” more so than refined grains, and because they also break down more slowly, they help keep your energy level stable…another benefit for those who enjoy a hard workout.

FARRO SALAD WITH SPINACH, CRANBERRIES, FETA & BALSAMIC DRESSING

If you’re looking for an easy festive salad for the holidays, this is it! But really, this farro salad is great for any time of year though. It’s healthy and delicious — truly a wonderful combination of flavors!

If you're looking for an easy festive salad for the holidays, this is it! But really, this farro salad is great for any time of year though. It's healthy and delicious — truly a wonderful combination of flavors!

Cook your farro according to package directions. Vigo Farro comes packaged in 4 perfectly portioned boil in bags. Talk about simple! I used two bags, each of which was 2/3 of cup of dry farro. It only takes 16-18 minutes to cook.

Once cooked and drained, allow the farro to cool completely before using it in the salad.

While your farro is cooling, you can chop your spinach and toast your hazelnuts.  To toast your nuts, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread your nuts out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes until nuts just slightly darken. It’s better to roast nuts whole, then chop them, because they’re more likely to burn if they’re already chopped. But if your nuts are already chopped, just keep an eye on them.

You can also make the balsamic dressing ahead, while the farro is either cooking or cooling. Mix together the honey and Dijon mustard first, then add in the chopped shallot, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Whisk the mixture together until it starts to thicken and season it to taste with salt and pepper. You’ll have plenty of leftover dressing for another salad.

Once the farro has cooled, combine it with the chopped spinach, dried cranberries, feta, hazelnuts and drizzle a couple tablespoons of the balsamic dressing over the top and mix well. If you prefer more dressing, simply add it in a little at a time.

Farro Salad with Spinach, Cranberries, Feta and Balsamic Dressing

Enjoy!

Farro Salad with Spinach, Cranberries, Feta, Hazelnuts and Balsamic Dressing

MORE GREAT SALAD RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY

Don’t forget to look for Vigo foods in a supermarket near you, or shop Vigo’s online store! You can also enter to win this fantastic box packed with Vigo products! It’s jam packed with an awesome product selection! We’ll be picking a winner in a couple of weeks!

 

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Now for the recipe!

Yield: 4

Farro Salad with Spinach, Cranberries, Feta and Balsamic Dressing

Farro Salad with Spinach, Cranberries, Feta and Balsamic Dressing

This easy Farro Salad with spinach, cranberries and feta, topped with balsamic dressing, is a delicious addition to your menu any time of year.  You're going to love how healthy it is too!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes

Ingredients

Farro Salad

  • 2 pouches Vigo Farro Boil-in-Bag (1 1/3 cups)
  • 2 cups spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup Vigo feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon shallot, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Alessi balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 cup Vigo extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook your farro according to package directions. 

Once cooked and drained, allow the farro to cool completely before using it in the salad.

While your farro is cooling, you can chop your spinach and toast your hazelnuts.  To toast your nuts, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread your nuts out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes until nuts just slightly darken. 

Make the balsamic dressing while you're waiting. Mix together the honey and Dijon mustard first, then add in the chopped shallot, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Whisk the mixture together until it starts to thicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Once the farro has cooled, combine it with the chopped spinach, dried cranberries, feta, hazelnuts and drizzle a couple tablespoons of the balsamic dressing over the top and mix well. If you prefer more dressing, simply add it in a little at a time.

Notes

 

Nutrition Information:


Amount Per Serving: Calories: 757Total Fat: 51gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 436mgFiber: 9gSugar: 26gProtein: 13g

 

Healthy and delicious, this easy Farro Salad with spinach, cranberries and feta, topped with balsamic dressing, is a wonderful addition to your menu any time of year.  #salad | #farro | #sidedishesFarro Salad with Spinach, Cranberries, Feta and Balsamic Dressing

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Michelle

Tuesday 20th of July 2021

I made this last night and it was so delicious! Thank you for your easy to follow recipe. I added roasted butternut squash too! This will be my new go - to salad!

tammy

Friday 25th of September 2020

Hi these measurements seem to be off can't really be 14 cups of vinegar and 3/4 a couple oil for 4 salads, is it? That's probably why the calorie count is so off. I tried modifying but could not figure out what the real measurements could be.

Michelle Nahom

Friday 25th of September 2020

Yikes. Something must have happened to my recipe. It's a 1/4 cup of balsamic!

Erin

Thursday 2nd of January 2020

Hi! I love this salad. It’s amazing. But...I think you might wanna recheck your nutritional info. There’s no way it’s right. 1500+ calories per serving? All the sodium and fat? That can’t be.

Michelle Nahom

Friday 10th of January 2020

My apologies. The nutritional info definitely sounds off, but that is a part of the recipe plugin that I have no control over. There is probably some sort of glitch they need to fix. I probably should research a new plugin for the future. Thank you for letting me know. Sorry about that!

Jill

Sunday 13th of January 2019

Looks delicious, is that balsamic reduction vinegar or the thinner balsamic vinegar?

Michelle Nahom

Monday 14th of January 2019

Balsamic vinegar...not the reduction version!

Krista

Friday 8th of December 2017

Yes please! This salad looks so good!

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