Happy March, friends! It’s been a minute since I posted a savory recipe, so I thought I’d share this Roasted Carrot, Farro, and Arugula Salad with you.
This time of year I start to crave allll the veggies. We’re enjoying a bit of fake Spring here in Northern Minnesota, where the sun is shining, temps are slightly warmer, the snow is beginning to melt, and even those of us who have been here for years start to think, “maybe Spring will come early this year”. Spoiler alert: it won’t. I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer here, but let’s face it, winter is bound to reappear at least once more before it’s done for the year (most years we get one more good blizzard in March or April, if not several). Until then I’m going to enjoy the warm temps, soak up some Vitamin D, and eat all the veggies I can get my hands on.
The Salad of My Dreams
This is my favorite type of salad. It has everything – greens, grains, spiced roasty veggies, creamy cheese, and crunchy nuts. I’ve eaten this particular salad approximately 10,000 times over the past few weeks – I can’t seem to get enough of it. I can’t take credit for the recipe – I made only small changes to one from Kathryne Taylor’s book Love Real Food (which I don’t own yet but it’s on my list).
This kind of salad is so versatile. You can swap out the farro for any grain you like or have on hand – wild or brown rice, barley, or even quinoa would be great in it. Use spinach or another green in place of arugula if you prefer, and switch the pistachios out for your favorite nut or seed (pumpkin seeds would be especially delish). Opt for feta in place of goat cheese, or skip the cheese altogether if you want. Diced dried apricots would be a lovely replacement for the raisins. Do you see what I mean? Endless options.
Give this Roasted Carrot, Farro, & Arugula Salad a try – it’s sure to cure your second-winter blues and get you ready for Spring. And if you’re looking for more great veggie meals, check out my Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos or this Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup!
Enjoy!
Roasted Carrot, Farro, & Arugula Salad
Ingredients
Roasted Carrots
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2" thick slices
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
- 2 T lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 1 c farro, wild rice, or other grain
- 1/3 c toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
- 5-6 oz baby arugula
- 1/2 c goat or feta cheese (about 2 oz)
- 3 T golden raisins (or regular raisins if preferred)
Instructions
- Cook farro or other grain according to package directions. Set aside.
Roasted Carrots
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- If desired, line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- In a large bowl, or just on your large sheet pan, toss carrots with olive oil and spice mixture until thoroughly coated. Arrange carrots in a single layer on the sheet pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until they start to caramelize and feel tender when pierced with a fork. Flip/toss them about halfway through baking time.
Lemon Vinaigrette
- In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set aside until salad is ready.
Put the Salad together
- In a large serving bowl, combine arugula, farro or other grain. Give the lemon vinaigrette another quick whisk, then drizzle it on and toss until well coated (you may not need all of the vinaigrette now – serve the rest on the side). Transfer to a serving plate or bowl.
- Crumble goat cheese over the top, sprinkle with pistachios and golden raisins, and then arrange the roasted carrots on top. Serve.
- This salad is best eaten right away, but you can refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy for another 2-3 days.