Warm Winter Farro with Cranberry Cinnamon Vinaigrette.
This warm winter farro salad is so comforting and delish!
Bowl meals like this are something I live for in the winter.
They are so hearty and flavorful and you can make a big batch and eat it throughout the week. Sounds perfect right?!
Plus, you can always customize these to your preferences. Throw in what you love, sub something else that you may have in your pantry. It’s perfect!
I’m absolutely obsessed with the flavors and textures in this salad. We have the caramely roasted squash – a nice hint of sweet and savory.
The pecans are crunchy, but also have a hint of maple. The farro is chewy. The goat cheese is creamy with a bit of tanginess. And the cranberries are chewy and sweet!
Let me tell you a little secret about the cranberries too: I kind of prefer dried cherries more. I mean, I definitely do! So you can toss in either of those and it will work.
The dressing is a DREAM!
This cranberry cinnamon vinaigrette is originally from my thanksgiving kale salad. I never thought I’d enjoy cinnamon in a vinaigrette, but the slight hint of spice is wonderful. The cranberry adds a bit of holiday flavor and it’s still a classic, briney vinaigrette that dresses the salad so nicely.
A dressing on a grain salad is so perfect, because it basically marinates everything. Instead of wilting a salad as it sits, it essentially marinates everything in the bowl so all flavors are enhanced. Awesome, right?
My favorite thing about this salad is that you can technically enjoy it warm or cold! Yes, the title says it’s a warm salad. And it is so lovely to serve warm – it’s nourishing and satisfying and tastes fantastic.
But if you find yourself with leftovers in the fridge, they are just as excellent right out of the container! If not, better.
It’s one of those dishes that even gets better as it sits – the farro and squash and goat cheese all marinate in the dressing and everything just had a boatload of flavor. The ingredients hold their textures well in the fridge too.
It’s one of the reasons that I love serving this for lunch! You can have it as a bowl, over greens, on top of a salad or even as a side dish – really the options are endless.
This bowl has everything you want in a cozy, weeknight meal.
Warm Winter Farro Salad
Warm Winter Farro Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked farro
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 cup whole pecans
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup dried cranberries or tart cherries
- 2 to 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
cranberry cinnamon vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons cranberry juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper. I also like to do a sprinkle of garlic powder!
- Roast the squash for 20 minutes, or until slightly caramelized and fork tender. While the squash is roasting, you can make the farro too! Cook it according to the package directions. You can also make the vinaigrette during this time too!
- To toast the pecans, heat the pecans in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drizzle in the maple syrup. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, as the maple syrup sizzles. Spread the pecans on a sheet of parchment paper until ready to use. You can chop them or leave them whole - your choice.
- Place the farro in a large bowl. Toss in the roasted butternut squash cubes, the dried cranberries, goat cheese and pecans. Drizzle on a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss the salad well.
- Taste the farro and season with a pinch of salt and pepper if needed. Drizzle in more of the vinaigrette if desired. Top with the fresh parsley. Serve immediately!
- Leftovers of this stay great in the fridge for a few days in a sealed container.
cranberry cinnamon vinaigrette
- Whisk together the vinegar, juice, honey, mustard, garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. This keeps great in the fridge for a few days!
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24 Comments on “Warm Winter Farro with Cranberry Cinnamon Vinaigrette.”
Yummm bowl meals are my favorite! Can’t wait to try it. Thank you Jessica!
This sounds so divine for a winter salad for lunch or as a side. We just love Farro and the cranberry cinnamon vinaigrette, oh my. I’ll be making this all winter long. Yummy!
This was excellent! Thank you for the recipe! I used feta because I didn’t have goat cheese. I served this on a bed of spinach and added turkey for protein. Was perfect without additions though. The candied pecans were irresistible and so easy. Who knew?! This is dangerous knowledge! :-)
This is so wonderful! I subbed GOLDEN RAISINS for cranberries after tasting, because cranberries always assault me with their tartness. Definitely making this again!
I love grain bowls and this was no different! Simple to put together and delicious. I didn’t have cranberry juice so I omitted it and reduced the olive oil for the dressing. Altogether delicious and going to be a fall / winter lunch staple!
So delicious and the perfect winter meal! I will definitely be making this again and again.
These flavors and textures work beautifully together!
Super yummy! I used an ancient grains mix.
We made this and I cannot tell you how delicious it was! We had leftovers and topped with grilled lamb the next night. That dressing is unreal! Thanks for an easy and delicious recipe, and something different!
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I don’t normally comment on recipes, but was inspired to for this. Halfway through making this, I realized I did not have cranberry juice. But I had some leftover cranberry sauce from dinner a few weeks ago. So I left out the dried cranberries and basically used the cranberry sauce in the vinaigrette (about twice as much cranberry sauce as cranberry juice and leave out the honey). It was so good!
Made it tonight. Loved it! I thought it would be too sweet but it’s really almost savory. Can’t wait to try at a family event or a quiet lunch with friends.
This was very easy, healthy, filling, and delicious! I made it for lunch meal-prep. I left the goat cheese and pecans on the side and added after re-warming in the microwave. Honestly, it would be delicious hot or cold! My co-workers asked me to send the recipe to them! 😁
TO. DIE. FOR.
SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD
We made this recipe last weekend and loved it! The dressing was especially good. I used apple cide vinegar because that’s what I had on hand and it was great! I also added pumpkin seeds and sliced almonds to the pecans. Definitely a keeper and would be great to bring to a party! Thank you!
Delicious! Definitely making again
Made some tweaks to accommodate the ingredients I had on hand. Used sweet potato and feta, and used less olive oil. Soooo good! Will definitely make again and again.
This was a delicious grain salad! The flavors are fantastic. Thank you for this recipe.
So delicious! Definitely will make again!
Made some modifications for my family and 3 out of 4 loved it. Feta cheese instead of goat cheese and added some basil pesto. Delicious!