Roasted Cherry Basil Farro Salad (Printable Version)
Sweet roasted cherries and farro with basil, tomatoes, walnuts and a lemon dressing—bright, hearty summer fare.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked farro
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Roasted Cherries
04 - 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
05 - 2 teaspoons olive oil
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Salad Additions
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
09 - 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
10 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
11 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
→ Dressing
12 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss the pitted and halved cherries with olive oil and black pepper. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 12–15 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
03 - While the cherries roast, rinse farro under cold water. Combine farro, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes until grains are tender. Drain any excess liquid and let cool to room temperature.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and smooth.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled farro, roasted cherries, cherry tomatoes, red onion, torn basil leaves, crumbled feta cheese if using, and chopped walnuts. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently until evenly coated.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted cherries turn into something almost jammy and candy sweet, and they make people think you invented a whole new genre of salad.
- Farro has this chewy, satisfying bite that keeps the dish from feeling like health food even though it absolutely is.
02 -
- Do not skip the parchment paper when roasting cherries because the sticky juices will weld themselves to your baking sheet and you will be soaking it for two days.
- Letting the farro cool completely before assembling keeps the basil from wilting and the feta from melting into an unappetizing smear.
03 -
- A cherry pitter saves you ten minutes and a stained cutting board, but a paper clip or the flat end of a chopstick pushed through the stem end works in a pinch.
- Taste your cherries before you add the honey to the dressing because some batches are already sweet enough and extra sugar will throw off the balance.