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Justine Doiron

just real good food

Beans + Grains + Bowls, Dairy Free, Recipes, Salads + Soups, Special Diets, Vegetarian · November 16, 2022

Crispy Farro Salad with Walnut Mustard Cream

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Finished crispy farro salad

We are taking a tiny break from Baked Salad Season (my favorite season!) to do a normal salad – a Crispy Farro Salad with Walnut Cream that will make you fall in love. At first glance, this salad might feel a little intimidating. It has walnuts, capers, mustard and honey….a lot of intimidating and arguably contrarian flavors, but together they SING.

This crispy farro salad is one of the times when I really appreciate the magic of food. It is one of our sensory pleasures where you can actually create balance. This lemony, sweet dressing brings the salad to a high level of brightness, but the salty, crispy farro and the rich but rustic walnut cream perfectly brings the salad back to earth. And the best thing about this recipe? The flavors might be complex, but it’s easy to make. This is a wonderful weeknight recipe to make when you want to add that extra level of self-care, but not too much extra work. As a salad, it continues to be one of my favorites.

Finished crispy farro salad with shaved parmesan

Table of contents

  • What ingredients do you need for this crispy farro salad
  • Let’s talk a bit about the timing of this recipe
  • What is crispy farro?
  • How to make this crispy farro salad
  • How to make the walnut mustard cream
  • How to make the lemon parmesan dressing
  • FAQ
  • Looking for similar recipes?
Uncut head of green lettuce

What ingredients do you need for this crispy farro salad

This salad has many components, but I designed it so that the ingredients repeat, instead of you needing to buy a million things from the store. Here is everything you need for each section of this Crispy Farro Salad:

For the crispy farro salad:

  • 1 head of radicchio
  • 1 large head of green leaf lettuce, or two small heads
  • 1 cup farro, cooked
  • 2 tablespoons capers, optional

For the walnut mustard cream:

  • 1 cup raw walnuts
  • 1 heaping tsp mustard
  • 2 teaspoons capers
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed (use half the amount if using Morton’s)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper, plus more to taste

For the lemon parmesan dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Kosher salt to taste
Chopped radicchio and lettuce

Let’s talk a bit about the timing of this recipe

The beauty of a salad is there’s very little cooking – just assembling. This salad is the same, except for the addition of the crispy farro. I recommend starting by prepping your lettuce, washing, finely chopping and setting it aside. Then start the other elements of the recipe. Get the farro in the oven, start the walnut cream, and lastly, whisk together the dressing. After that, you’ll be ready to plate and serve!

Farro and capers on sheet pan

What is crispy farro?

Farro is one of my favorite grains, and I’m sure it’s been done before, but I’m taking a bit of credit for bringing crispy farro salad into this world.

Crispy farro is essentially baked farro, roasted with just a touch of olive oil until it gets nice and golden. Think of it more as corn nuts texture, very crunchy and very earthy. It’s not going to be light and crisp like my baked quinoa, but it is still going to be delicious.

Crispy farro after coming out of the oven

How to make this crispy farro salad

Let’s start at the beginning. Here is how to prep your lettuce and make this Crispy Farro Salad:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Finely chop the radicchio and the green leaf lettuce. Toss together and set aside.
  • On a parchment-lined baking sheet, evenly spread out the cooked farro. Scatter the 2 tablespoons of capers on top. Drizzle with just a bit of olive oil, no more than a teaspoon. Toss to coat, season with a pinch of salt and put it in the oven. Roast at 400°F for 15-18 minutes or until the farro is lightly golden and the capers are crisp. Note that the farro will taste more like a corn nut and less like a puffed grain, you want it to be a dense, crunchy texture.
All walnut mustard cream ingredients in food processor

How to make the walnut mustard cream

This has to be my FAVORITE part of the recipe. It’s divine. And don’t be afraid of the ingredients! Even if you don’t like capers, the walnuts will lend a subtle sweetness and richness to the point where you won’t even notice it. I want to eat this with a spoon. Here is the best way to make it:

Soak the walnuts in boiling hot water for 4-5 minutes. Drain and transfer them to a small blender. Add the mustard, capers, parsley, lemon, salt and pepper. Add 2/3 cup of cool water and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with more lemon juice, salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.

Finished walnut mustard cream

How to make the lemon parmesan dressing

And lastly is the dressing! It’s truly so easy, and the brightness it gives the rest of the recipe is crucial. For this component, get a larger bowl. Add the honey, juice from the second lemon, red pepper flakes, parmesan and olive oil. Whisk well to combine and season with salt.
Throw the lettuce and radicchio directly into the bowl with the lemon dressing and give it a toss with clean hands.

Lemon parmesan dressing

FAQ

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! Everything can be done ahead of time and stored separately. Just don’t dress the salad with the lemon dressing until you are just about to eat it!

What is the best way to store this crispy farro salad?

I like to store every component on its own, and then combine it right before I eat it. This helps get rid of any sogginess and also eliminates any “meal prep” energy that a combined salad might have. I like to store the farro in a tupperware container, the chopped lettuce in its own container, and the lemon dressing and walnut cream in their own separate jars. All the components will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can I veganize this farro salad?

Absolutely! You can omit the parmesan entirely for some freshly grated garlic in the lemon dressing. You can then replace the honey with agave or maple syrup, and you’ll have a fully vegan salad!

Crispy farro and capers in bowl

Looking for similar recipes?

You’ve come to a great place. Here are some of my salads, the loves of my life:

Brussel Sprout Salad with Anchovy Tahini & Za’atar Chickpeas
Another addition to warm-salad season is this brussels sprout salad dream. It's kind of like a caesar salad's younger, hotter (sorry caesar!) sister. It's easy to make, creamy and delicious, and of course, baked.
Check out this recipe
Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa
When hot salad season starts (and yes, it's a thing) this Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa is the only one I want. All the vegetables are roasted in the oven, and the quinoa is toasted to a crispy perfection. It's the perfect balance of flavors and a great way to pack vegetables into your meal.
Check out this recipe
Grilled Corn & Tempeh Salad with Farro, Basil & Mint
This Grilled Corn & Tempeh Salad with Farro, Basil & Mint is a vegetarian dream. There is something about the perfect combination of sweet corn, crispy tempeh, herbs and chilies that makes this salad perfectly filling but also deep with flavor. Add the farro for a bit more sustenance and this turns into the perfect meal prep or weekday meal.
Check out this recipe
Finished crispy farro salad with walnut mustard cream

And that’s everything for this Crispy Farro Salad with Walnut Mustard Cream!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Crispy Farro Salad with Walnut Mustard Cream

5 from 1 vote
To a few of you, this salad might scare you, but let me tell you that it might be one of the most delicious and easy salads I've ever made. It's packed with finely chopped and lightly crisp vegetables, dressed in a bright lemon dressing and perfectly paired with a grounding walnut cream. It's light but herby, crunchy but creamy. It's my dream salad.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes mins
Cook Time:15 minutes mins
30 minutes mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American, Fusion, Italian
Keyword: lemon, mustard, olive oil, salad
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Baking sheet
  • 1 small blender

Ingredients

For the Crispy Farro Salad

  • 1 head of radicchio
  • 1 large head of green leaf lettuce or two small heads
  • 1 cup farro cooked
  • 2 tablespoons capers optional

For the Walnut Mustard Cream

  • 1 cup raw walnuts
  • 1 heaping tsp mustard
  • 2 teaspoons capers
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves plus more for garnish
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more as needed (use half the amount if using Morton’s)
  • 1/2 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper plus more to taste

For the Lemon Parmesan Dressing

  • 1 tablespoons honey
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Finely chop the radicchio and the green leaf lettuce. Toss together and set aside.
  • On a parchment-lined baking sheet, evenly spread out the cooked farro. Scatter the 2 tablespoons of capers on top. Drizzle with just a bit of olive oil, no more than a teaspoon. Toss to coat, season with a pinch of salt and put it in the oven. Roast at 400°F for 15-18 minutes or until the farro is lightly golden and the capers are crisp. Note that the farro will taste more like a corn nut and less like a puffed grain, you want it to be a dense, crunchy texture.
  • While the farro is in the oven, begin the walnut cream. Soak the walnuts in boiling hot water for 4-5 minutes. Drain and transfer them to a small blender. Add the mustard, capers, parsley, lemon, salt and pepper. Add 2/3 cup of cool water and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with more lemon juice, salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.
  • In a larger bowl, add the honey, juice from the second lemon, red pepper flakes, parmesan and olive oil. Whisk well to combine and season with salt.
  • Throw the lettuce and radicchio directly into the bowl with the lemon dressing and give it a toss with clean hands.
  • Remove the farro from the oven, and now it's time to plate!
  • Plate each serving with a generous smear of the walnut cream on the bottom, then top with the lemony salad, and sprinkle with a generous serving of crisp farro. Enjoy!

Posted In: Beans + Grains + Bowls, Dairy Free, Recipes, Salads + Soups, Special Diets, Vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Kristen says

    November 26, 2022 at 5:24 pm

    We have nut allergies in my home. What would you suggest as an alternative for the walnut cream?

    • Justine says

      November 26, 2022 at 5:39 pm

      I love using white beans in place of the walnuts! It gives the same creaminess as the nuts do 🙂

  2. Maddy says

    November 27, 2022 at 7:00 pm

    Any ideas if you aren’t a caper girly? I know you said that you can’t really taste them I just don’t want to buy them if I won’t use them again.

    Thanks!

    • Justine says

      November 27, 2022 at 7:12 pm

      In this case I’d totally give you a free pass to skip! Just season to taste and add a bit more salt if you think you need it, the capers are there for salinity, but the mustard should still keep the walnut cream interesting!

  3. Jacqueline says

    November 27, 2022 at 8:43 pm

    Can I leave out the parmesan or sub it for something none dairy?

    • Justine says

      November 27, 2022 at 8:45 pm

      Feel free to leave it out – the salad will still be delicious 🙂

  4. Peggy says

    November 28, 2022 at 6:08 pm

    Delicious! Thank you for the recipe.

    • Justine says

      November 28, 2022 at 7:23 pm

      I’m so thrilled you liked it!

  5. Amy says

    November 30, 2022 at 1:29 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! So fully of flavour and a perfect balance of salty, bitter, acid/tang! Relatively easy to make too. Will be making again for sure. Thank you Justine 🙂

  6. Michele says

    December 3, 2022 at 5:19 am

    This was OUTSTANDING! So many layers of flavor. The choice of green leaf lettuce (vs. a romaine or butter lettuce) was perfect.

    One question: the recipe says to sprinkle the capers over the farro and toss them bake. If you do that how do you sort them out of the pan to put in the walnut cream? I had to omit them from the walnut cream and just eat them whole in the salad with the farro. Still delicious.

    • Justine says

      December 3, 2022 at 12:40 pm

      There are two types of capers in the recipe! One is just uncooked in the walnut cream (you add them straight into the blender from the jar!) and the second layer is baked with the farro, which is totally optional 🙂 I hope that makes sense, you’re using the same ingredient in two different ways!

  7. Jennifer Brady says

    December 4, 2022 at 4:15 pm

    Any tips on making ahead of time? I want to make this for a work potluck.

    • Justine says

      December 4, 2022 at 9:02 pm

      I’d prepare everything and store it all separately, then assemble right before you plan to serve!

  8. Jane H says

    December 9, 2022 at 8:37 pm

    This looks delish. I can’t do the farro (gluten-free). Could you roast brown rice, or what GF workarounds would you recommend?

    • Justine says

      December 11, 2022 at 12:01 pm

      I just uploaded a crispy quinoa recipe that is a great sub! Brown rice also works, but it tends to “pop” in the oven and turn into little puffs, but if you’re ok with that, go for it!

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