Roasted Grape and Farro Kale Salad
Updated March 26, 2019
Roasted Grape and Farro Kale Salad with candied pecans, feta cheese, and a simple balsamic dressing is a great salad for lunch or dinner.
I like to eat a salad every day, but I don't like to eat the same old salad every day. I like to mix things up so I am not bored. My current favorite salad is this Roasted Grape and Farro Kale Salad. The flavors are insanely delicious. I might break my rule and eat this salad every day this week. It is that good! I don't think I will ever get sick of this kale salad.
The salad is simple, but the flavors are incredible. The salad is made up of:
- kale
- roasted grapes
- farro
- candied pecans
- feta cheese
- balsamic dressing
Have you tried roasted grapes? Talk about about a game changer. Roasting the grapes brings out the best flavor. The grapes get caramelized in the oven and they become extra sweet and juicy. You are going to LOVE them in this salad.
Farro is another winner in this salad. Farro is an ancient, whole grain, that is is nutty, chewy, and a great source of fiber and protein. It does have gluten so if you are gluten-free, you can use quinoa or brown rice instead. It really bulks up the kale salad making it hearty enough to eat for lunch or dinner, or you can serve it as a side dish to any meal.
I made a TON of candied pecans for Christmas and have a few jars left in our pantry so I added them to this salad and it was the best decision ever. If you don't have candied pecans, you should make them..ha, they make the salad extra special. That sugary crunch is crazy good. You can use regular pecans, walnuts, or almonds, but you will be missing out, just a little bit:)
I used feta cheese, but goat cheese or blue cheese would be good in this salad too.
The balsamic dressing is easy to whisk up and is the perfect finishing touch to the salad.
You are going to love this Roasted Grape and Farro Salad. It feels kind of fancy so it is a great salad for entertaining or you can eat it every day because you deserve a little fancy in your life every day, especially when fancy is super easy!
If you like this easy kale salad, you might also like:
- Kale and Wild Rice Salad
- Mediterranean Kale Salad
- Kale, Strawberry, and Avocado Salad
- Orange, Avocado, and Kale Quinoa Salad
Roasted Grape and Farro Kale Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 heaping cup red grapes
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup farro
- 1 bunch kale ribs removed and finely chopped
- 1 cup roughly chopped candied pecans can use regular pecans, walnuts, or almonds
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese goat cheese is good too
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the grapes on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until grapes are blistered and caramelized.
- While the grapes are roasting, make the farro. Place 1 cup farro in a fine mesh sieve and rinse with cold water. Drain. Transfer to a medium sized pot that has a lid. Add 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes, until it is softened but still chewy. If there is liquid remaining in the pot, drain it off. Fluff the farro with a fork and let cool to room temperature.
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, mustard, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place chopped kale in medium bowl. Add the roasted grapes, cooked farro, candied pecans, and feta cheese. Drizzle with dressing and toss well. Serve immediately.
- Note-if you don't have farro, you can use quinoa or brown rice in this salad.
Have you tried this recipe?
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