To take a simple bowl to the next level and make it meal-worthy, top it with all things crunchy, salty, and tangy. A seasoned base of farro and lentils gets topped with crunchy tangy veggies, sweet peas, crunchy toasted walnuts, cheese, and pickled red onions. Be sure to top with plenty of fresh lemon! If you like your bowls extra saucy, make this Lemon Tahini Dressing to slather over top. Don’t be shy with the toppings!
Ingredient Highlight
Farro! This ancient whole grain has a chewy texture and nutty flavor, making it my favorite grain for grain salads. Since it’s a whole grain, it’s packed with fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, calcium, and protein.
NOTE: Farro cooking times will vary depending on the variety. Bob’s Red Mill makes the best farro – “Our farro is very lightly scratched, as is traditional, to allow for a faster cooking time and to encourage the release of its starches during cooking, but it maintains its wholesome nutrients”.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 30 minutes Ingredients
- 1 cup farro or 2 ½ cups cooked
- ½ cup green lentils or 1 ⅓ cup cooked
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar divided
- 1 ¼ tsp kosher salt divided
- 4 cups thinly sliced fennel, celery and/or cabbage
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen), cooked optional)
- ½ cup toasted walnuts chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Pickled red onions (recipe + video) or leftover pickled radish
- Fresh herbs
- Lemon wedges
- Note: this bowl does not have a dressing or sauce because with each element seasoned well and plenty of pickled onions, cheese, and nuts, it doesn’t need it. If you want a dressing, I recommend making this easy Lemon Tahini Dressing or your favorite dressing! Or you could top with some guacamole or a dollop of yogurt sprinkled with salt.
Instructions
- Cook your farro and your lentils (see instructions below). Transfer drained lentils and farro into a large bowl and spread out into a thin layer to cool off for about 10 minutes. Once cooled off, but still warm, add the olive oil, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and ¾ teaspoon salt and toss to combine.
- In a medium bowl, add the thinly sliced veggies, remaining ¼ cup vinegar, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and toss to combine thoroughly.
- Add farro/lentils to your bowl and top with the tangy veggies, peas (if using), walnuts, cheese, pickled red onions, and herbs. Finish it off with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and squeeze lemon all over.
How to cook farro:
- add farro to a medium pot and fill with enough water to cover by at least two inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the farro is tender/has burst open. Drain and set aside to cool.
How to cook lentils:
- in a medium pot, add green lentils and enough water to cover by at least 2-inches. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, but not mushy. Depending on how fresh/old your lentils are, they will cook a lot faster or slower, so keep an eye on them and taste as you go. Drain the lentils and set aside to cool.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 1 cup farro (or 2 ½ cups cooked)
- Cook ½ cup green lentils ( or 1 ⅓ cup cooked)
- Make farro/lentil base (mix with oil, vin, salt)
- Thinly slice 4 cups fennel, celery, radish, and/or cabbage
- Cook 1 cup peas(optional)
- Toast ½ cup walnuts
- Pickle 1 red onion
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, skip the cheese + add some avocado.
- The bowl is your oyster! With a base of seasoned grains/legumes, you can add anything you want (roasted veg, leftover cooked meat, fried egg, etc…).
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
- Farro/lentil base: up to 6 days
- Pickled red onions: up to 2 weeks
- Veggie slaw: up to 7 days
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up your farro/lentil base until just warm (just to take the chill off). Top with all the toppings! Make sure to give it a generous squeeze of lemon.
- Top with a fried or boiled egg.
- Turn it into a salad by mixing with greens and your favorite dressing.
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