Sweet roasted carrots, deeply savory mushrooms, chewy nutty farro and a bright miso-lemon dressing come together for a very satisfying and flavor-packed salad. I love it warm served with some grilled/cooked protein for a nourishing fiber and protein packed meal.
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 farro is the best – “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 – 6
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 25 minutes Ingredients
- 1 cup farro*
- 8-10 oz mushrooms, sliced ¼-½ inch thick, then halved again (small pieces)
- 1 lb carrots, chopped into small pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 3 scallions or ½ bunch)
- Toasted almonds or pistachios, chopped, for topping
For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp mellow white miso paste
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- *Some farro takes a lot longer to cook than others, so use your judgment. Bob’s Red Mill farro is the best and always cooks perfectly in 20-25 minutes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 convection. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium pot, add the farro and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer for 20-25 minutes (see note on farro). Drain completely, then transfer back to the dry pot. Spread the farro out and up the edges to allow the steam to come off and cool down a bit.
- To the baking sheet, add the mushrooms, carrots, oil, and salt. Toss to coat well, then spread out into an even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the veggies are tender and browned in spots.
- Meanwhile, to a jar with a tight fitting lid, add the miso and lemon. Use a fork to mix/mash the miso into the lemon to get rid of any big lumps. Add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously to combine.
- To the warm farro, add the scallions and about half of the dressing and toss to coat. Add the veggies and remaining dressing and toss to combine.
- Serve topped with toasted nuts and black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 1 cup farro
- Thinly slice, the halve 8-10 oz mushrooms
- Chop 1 lb carrots into small pieces
- Roast the veggies
- Thinly slice 1 cup scallions
- Make the dressing
- Make the salad
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, sub the farro with cooked short grain brown rice.
- If you don’t like mushrooms, you can substitute with about 2.5-3 chopped cups worth of a different veggie (broccoli or cauliflower would be great).
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm the salad up in the microwave until room temp or just warm. Top with an extra squeeze of lemon to brighten it up, along with black pepper and nuts.
- If you have any other herbs like parsley or cilantro, that would be delicious on top.
- Top with parmesan – it’s delicious!
- Serve as a side with any cooked protein.
leave your comments!