Harvest Farro & Apple Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Name: Harvest Farro & Apple Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 4 big handfuls of spring mix (or your favorite greens); 1 large carrot, peeled into ribbons; 1 apple, thinly sliced or cut into sticks; ½ fennel bulb, shaved with a mandoline or thinly sliced; ¼ cup marcona almonds (pistachios, hazelnuts or any nut you like); ¼ cup cooked farro; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon maple syrup; ¼ teaspoon salt; Juice from half a lemon

by Laney Schwartz on Nov 11, 2020 (updated May 2, 2023) 2 comments

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This hearty salad is just right for fall and winter! Harvest Farro & Apple Salad with Maple Vinaigrette has the best seasonal veggies plus filling farro for a perfectly well-rounded dish.

We are in FULL holiday comfort season. Casseroles, soups, and of course ALL the sweet treats are on the menu. You know I’m here for that, but every once in a while I want something GREEN! Give me hearty, nourishing, filling, and fresh and it feels like I get a little reset amid the holiday snacking. For me, that means this Fall Farro & Apple Salad with Maple Vinaigrette. It’s simple to pull together, colorful and beautiful, and filled with the best combo of textures and flavors. Make it as an easy lunch, a simple dinner, or a dynamite side dish. You might remember me making this live on IG with Lindsay from Weeknight Bite and it was so much fun!

What is Farro?

Farro is a whole grain that’s as easy to cook as pasta. Just boil it, drain, and you’re ready to use it in this salad! It has a chewy texture that I LOVE using in salads (or in my Healing Turmeric Lentil & Farro Soup!). I love the heartiness and warmth that it adds here. Trader Joe’s sells a quick cook 10-minute farro that is SO easy. If you don’t have farro you could swap for quinoa or even lentils!

Ingredients in a Perfect Harvest Salad

If you’ve made any of my salads before you KNOW that I believe I have perfected the art of it. You need that just-right balance of crunch and chewy, sweet and savory. Here’s the perfected blend for this Harvest Salad…

Spring mix lettuce (or your favorite greens! Spinach would also be good)
Carrot
Apple
Fennel
Marcona almonds (or any nut)
Cooked farro

Homemade Maple Vinaigrette

Another secret to the perfect salad? Make your dressing at home! I know this sounds extra, but I promise it’s as easy as dumping ingredients into a bowl and giving it a good whisk. You could even skip the whisk and shake them up in a Mason jar! This dressing is made by mixing:

Olive oil – get the highest quality you can. It makes a difference!
Apple cider vinegar
Dijon mustard
Maple syrup
Salt
Lemon juice

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Food photography by Tanya Pilgrim