Farro Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan

The nutty flavor of farro grain balances with the salty Parmesan and tart cranberries in this tasty salad. Plan ahead, as the farro needs to soak overnight. If you can't find farro, substitute spelt or wheat berries.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 223 Calories

Ingredients

• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives
• 2 cups farro
• ¾ pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 1 cup red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette, or to taste
• 1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Soak farro in a large bowl of water for at least 12 hours. Drain.

Step 2

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the drained farro, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, then cook the farro uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue simmering until tender, about 30 more minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

Step 3

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus, and cook uncovered until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the asparagus is cold, drain well, and chop. Set aside.

Step 4

Place farro, asparagus, tomatoes, walnuts, cranberries, parsley, and chives in a large bowl. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over and sprinkle about 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese, then toss. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Serve at room temperature.