Strawberry Arugula & Farro Salad
Fresh sweet Strawberries, peppery Arugula and nutrient-dense Farro, are tossed in a quick homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette with Hazelnuts and Feta cheese making this Strawberry Arugula & Farro Salad a perfect light meal or summer side.
June is strawberry season in the Midwest. This not only means a fun family outdoor adventure, but also delicious fresh strawberries for making my favorite good-eats!
I love a good salad and this salad does not disappoint. It packs some serious nutrition in each bowl! Fresh ripe fruit, spicy greens, nutty grains, rich hazelnuts and feta, all tossed in a homemade 3-ingredient dressing that is perfect for a quick meal or complement to your next cookout. The addition of the Farro makes it hearty enough for this Strawberry Arugula Farro Salad to stand alone.
All About Farro
Let me tell you about this magical little grain called Farro. Farro is a nutrient dense ancient grain packed full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein and antioxidants. Just one-fourth cup farro provides 6g plant-based protein, important for gaining and maintaining muscle. It provides 20% RDI of Vitamin B6, or niacin, which helps your cells convert food into energy. With 5 g fiber, this food is a powerhouse! Fiber can help stabilize blood sugar, improve digestive health and even reduce cholesterol. This really is a super-star grain. And this Strawberry Arugula Farro Salad is the perfect way to add it to your diet.
Three Ingredient Balsamic Vinaigrette
This salad is dressed with my homemade Three Ingredient Balsamic Vinaigrette
Homemade salad dressing can be really simple to make. It is also cost-effective, tastes fresh and does not contain preservatives some bottled dressings do. Typically I whip up a batch and keep it in my fridge or pantry (depending upon the ingredients in the particular dressing) for a month. And this dressing is a regular favorite in rotation! My Three Ingredient Balsamic Vinaigrette is so easy to prepare and pairs well with so many salad ingredients!
This Balsamic Vinaigrette is simply Balsamic Vinegar, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Dijon Mustard. That’s it! Easy peasy!
Add the ingredients to a jar or dressing bottle and simple shake to emulsify. The dressing may be refrigerated for up to a month.
Strawberry Arugula & Farro Salad
Equipment
- 1 Sauce Pot with lid
- 1 mixing bowl large
Ingredients
- ½ cup Dry Farro prepare as directed on package
- 1 cup Strawberries washed and sliced
- 1½ cups Arugula packed, washed
- ⅓ cup Toasted Hazelnuts
- ½ cup Feta Cheese crumbled
- Balsamic Vinaigrette link in recipe for homemade dressing
- 2 pinches Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Prepare ½ cup Dry Farro according to package instructions and set aside.
- Prepare Balsamic Salad Dressing (link in recipe post). Bottled Balsamic Vinaigrette may be substituted.
- In large mixing bowl combine 1 cup Strawberries, 1½ cups Arugula, prepared Farro, ⅓ cup Hazelnuts and ½ cup Feta Cheese. Sprinkle salad with 2 pinches of salt and fresh crushed black pepper.
- Drizzle ¼ cup of Balsamic Vinaigrette over salad and gently toss to combine. If dressing is dry, drizzle additional amount over salad. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy! And if you like the recipe, please share on Pinterest, or snap a photo of your creation and tag me on Twitter, or Instagram!
