Farro Salad With Blistered Tomatoes And Pesto Recipe
Farro Salad with Blistered Tomatoes and Pesto is a hearty vegetarian meal with a burst of vibrant flavors and a delightful chewy texture. Tomatoes, fennel and onions are roasted with garlic, then added to pesto flavored farro and spinach. It’s the perfect side dish or main meal.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 322kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups farro rinsed
- 2 pints grape tomatoes
- 1 red onion peeled, quartered and cut into wedges
- 1 fennel bulb ends trimmed and cut into wedges. (reserve the fennel fronds for garnish)
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup pesto
- zest and juice from 1 lemon
- 2 cups spinach
- 4 oz mozzarella cut into chunks
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare the farro in your instant pot, or on the stovetop. If on the stovetop, fill a large pot with water, salt well, and bring to a boil. Add the farro and reduce heat to medium-high. (You want it to be slightly boiling/simmering). Cook the farro, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent the farro from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The farro should be tender. (Click here to learn how to make farro in the instant pot!)
- While the farro is cooking, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and add the tomatoes, chopped garlic, fennel, and onion wedges. Toss everything with 2 tablespoon of olive oil, ensuring the vegetables are well coated. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, if using. Roast the vegetables for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes blister and the skins are crinkly.
- Once the farro is done cooking, drain the water then add it to a serving bowl or a large mixing pot. Toss it with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the pesto. Add in the lemon zest and juice, and the spinach and mix to combine. Top the farro with the onions, tomatoes, fennel and garlic.
- Garnish the dish with extra fennel fronds and chopped parsley.
Notes
Adapted from Yasmin Fahr's recipe, Farro With Blistered Tomatoes, Pesto and Spinach, from the New York Times.
Nutrition
Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 598mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2340IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 2mg
