A simple salad of arugula, farro and olives gets tossed in a simple lemon dijon dressing with olives. The beetballs come together in your blender and baked in the oven until crispy. Raw grated beets and chickpeas get blended with Italian flavors of fennel, oregano, and garlic for a plant-based alternative to meatballs. Parmesan cheese and toasted nuts add that crunchy, salty nuttiness that really amps up the flavor and texture of the whole dish.
Ingredient highlight
Arugula! These peppery leafy greens (also known as “rocket”) are actually a member of the cruciferous family and have similar benefits to other members like broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts. They pack in tons of vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, iron, calcium, and magnesium.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 30 minutes Ingredients
- 1 cup farro (about 2-2 ½ cups cooked)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, peeled, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup fresh herbs (parsley, dill, or cilantro)
- 1 cup peeled, grated beet (about 1 medium beet)
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups loosely packed arugula
- ½ cup pitted and chopped green olives
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup chopped toasted almonds or walnuts
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F convection or 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle the oil onto the parchment and use a brush or your hands to spread it around to coat.
- Add farro to a medium pot and add enough water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and set aside to cool.
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, add the onion and garlic and blend until chopped up. Add in the herbs, beet, oats, chickpeas, egg, spices, and salt. Pulse/blend until evenly combined, using a damper tool encourage blending. Scrape under the blade and blend again if it’s not coming together easily.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the beetballs onto the baking sheet. Roll them around in the oil on the parchment to coat.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy and browned on the bottom.
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously to combine.
- In a large bowl, add farro, arugula, and olives. Add about ¼ cup of dressing and toss to coat. Top with beetballs, drizzle everything with more dressing, and sprinkle with parmesan and nuts.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 1 cup farro
- Make dressing
- Toast ½ cup nuts
- Make the beetball mixture
Substitutions
- To make gluten-free: use any gluten free grain or pasta in place of farro
- To make vegan: skip the egg in the beetballs and substitute with a flax egg
- Use any leafy green in place of arugula. Kale, mustard greens, spinach would all work.
- Not into the beetball thing? Top with your favorite meatballs!
- You could add anything you like in an italian-style salad – pepperoncinis, roasted bell peppers, etc…
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container
- Beetballs: in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month
- Farro arugula salad: in the fridge for up to 4 days
Leftovers + repurposing
- Enjoy the salad chilled or at room temp. Warm up your beetballs in the microwave. Top with a squeeze of lemon, fresh herbs and plenty of nuts and cheese. Drizzle leftover dressing overtop. If you don’t have more dressing, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar or a squeeze of lemon.
