Kale Farro Tahini Caesar Salad
Servings 4 - 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro (about 3 cups cooked)
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, finely chopped (6 cups loosely packed)*
- 1 bulb fennel, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (2 cups)
- 1 cucumber, seeds removed, thinly sliced (2 cups)
- Chopped walnuts, for topping
- Parmesan cheese, for topping
- Black pepper, for topping
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- *For a really fine chop, add kale to your blender and blend until finely chopped.
- Not into kale salads? ~ Easily sub kale with radicchio or use a mix. You could also use romaine lettuce or arugula, but they don’t hold up as well as leftovers.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the dressing
- Cook 1 cup farro
- Thinly slice or finely chop 1 bunch kale (6 cups loosely packed)
- Thinly slice 1 fennel bulb (2 cups)
- Deseed + thinly slice 1 cucumber (2 cups)
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the farro and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer rapidly for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, lemon, oil, mustard, fish sauce, garlic, and salt until smooth and creamy. The consistency should be creamy, but very drizzle-able. Thin out with more water if it’s too thick (this can vary depending on the thickness/brand of the tahini).
- Add the greens (if using kale, massage it with a touch of oil to soften it before adding everything else), farro, fennel, and cucumber. Toss well to coat.
- Serve topped with walnuts, parmesan, and black pepper. See "leftovers" section for tips if you prepped this ahead.
Notes
Substitutions:
- To make gluten-free, use cooked short grain brown rice, quinoa, or a gluten-free short pasta shape. You could also use about 2 cups of roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other root vegetables.
- Substitute the fennel and or cucumber with more fennel and/or cucumber or another thinly sliced raw crunchy veggie (radish, carrot, celery) - just make sure you have about 3-4 cups worth total.
- You can use soy sauce in place of fish sauce.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- I like to pop this in the microwave for a few seconds to take the chill off - I don’t like frigid cold salads! But you could just eat right out of the fridge. Top with a squeeze of lemon and plenty of cheese and nuts.
- Top with grilled/cooked chicken, steak, or sausage.
- Top with a soft boiled egg or two.