Nutty, tender farro forms the perfect base, complemented by peppery arugula that adds a fresh, bright bite. The caramelized roasted squash brings a hint of natural sweetness balancing the sharp flavors of blue cheese, while the pumpkin seeds add a delightful crunch.
Cozy up with this hearty and vibrant warm farro salad, a celebration of autumn’s best flavors. Roasted squash paired with nutty farro, creamy crumbled blue cheese, and crunchy pumpkin seeds, all drizzled with a zesty homemade lemon vinaigrette, for the ultimate blend of delicious flavors and textures.
If you want to add a touch of natural sweetness you can toss in dried cranberries, currants, or raisins.
This salad is as beautiful as it is delicious, making it the ideal dish for a comforting weeknight meal or an impressive holiday side. It’s fall in a bowl—warm, wholesome, and irresistibly satisfying!
Mediterranean Warm Farro Salad with Arugula and Roasted Squash
- Farro: This nutty, chewy grain makes this salad hearty and comforting.
- Acorn squash: I used acorn squash, sliced, but you can use any type of squash you have on hand. No need to peel.
- Arugula: Peppery arugula complements the other flavors in this salad well.
- Blue cheese: Crumbled blue cheese adds a sharp contrast to the other flavors. If you aren’t a fan of blue cheese you can swap for goat or feta.
- Pumpkin seeds: For some crunch I’ve added pumpkin seeds also known as pepitas.
- Parmesan cheese: Shavings of parmesan cheese add a touch of cheesy saltiness.
- Lemon Oil Dressing – I used a combination of olive oil, lemon juice and fresh chopped dill.
How To Cook Farro
- While the oven is preheating to 400F degrees, cut the squash, sprinkle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the squash in the oven until it is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Flip the squash halfway through so it can roast nicely on both sides.
- While the squash is in the oven, cook the farro according to the package instructions. Drain well and set it aside.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar and mix or shake well.
- Place the arugula in a bowl and add the cooked farro and roasted squash. Toss well to combine the ingredients.
- Sprinkle the squash arugula salad with pumpkin seeds, shaved parmesan cheese and crumbled blue cheese.
- Pour the dressing over, toss again and serve.
What is farro?
If you aren’t familiar with farro it is hulled wheat. Farro is considered an ancient grain and needs to be cooked as you would cook rice or quinoa. It is chewy and has a nutty flavor making it ideal for soups, salads, and stews. Below I’ve listed several options for substitutions.
Making the Best Grain Salad
I thoroughly enjoy eating a grain salads as they are hearty and nourishing, perfect for a fall lunch or a light dinner. There are so many options to choose from so grain salads never get boring. I especially like this Quinoa Tabbouleh and the combination of quinoa and chickpeas in this Quinoa Chickpea Salad. Or this Instant Pot Farro Bowl is another favorite way to use farro.
👉🏻The key to making the tastiest grain salad it make sure the grains are drained well. This way you won’t have excess moisture to dilute the flavors of the dressing. If possible, prepare the grain the day before so it has time to cool and dry out.
If you’ve run out of farro you can easily substitute it with brown rice, spelt, quinoa, buckwheat, or barley. Note the cook time will be different depending on what you choose as a substitute to plan accordingly.
Tips for storing farro salad
Store uneaten farro arugula salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To freshen up leftovers add a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil or fresh parmesan cheese. Eat straight from the fridge, at room temperature or warm.
I do not recommend freezing leftovers of this farro salad recipe.
Variations of farro salad
Though I love the combination of flavors and textures in the salad here are a few ways you can change them up:
- Use chopped spinach, kale or your favorite salads greens instead of arugula.
- Swap the acorn squash for butternut or buttercup squash or even sweet potatoes would work.
- Instead of pumpkin seeds toss in sunflower seeds, pecans or walnuts.
- Mix in dried cranberries or cherries, raisins, or currants to add natural sweetness.
You can substitute the blue cheese for feta cheese. As far as the parmesan cheese, you can substitute with Romano or Asiago which are all similar in taste. You can also use a vegan parmesan if you wish.
Yes, this farro salad would taste great with barley as well. See substitutions above.
You can definitely substitute the farro for brown rice. Just make note that brown rice likely takes longer to cook than farro.
This farro salad can be both a side dish or a main. If serving as a main dish you can always add some type of protein, tuna, chicken, fish or shrimp. The choice is up to you!
Yes, if you want to arugula to be fresh and crispy it is best to wait until just before serving to add it.
Looking for more hearty salads:
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Pre-heat oven to 400F degrees.
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Add squash slices to a baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 30 minutes, flipping half way through.
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Meanwhile cook farro according to package instructions. Drain and set aside
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Add the dressing ingredients to a jar, shake well to combine.
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Add the cooked farro and roasted squash to the arugula bowl. Toss to combine ingredients.
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Top salad with pumpkin seeds, shaved parmesan cheese and crumbled blue cheese.
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Toss in the dressing and serve.
Calories: 652kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 890IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
