Pear Savory Grain Salad (Printable)
Wholesome blend of pears, grains, fresh veggies, nuts, and herbs dressed lightly for a fresh, colorful dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup farro (or quinoa or barley)
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
→ Fruits
03 - 2 ripe pears, cored and diced
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup baby arugula or spinach leaves
→ Cheese & Nuts
07 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
08 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
11 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tsp honey
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Fresh Herbs
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse the farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil, add the farro, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20–25 minutes, or until tender. Drain any excess liquid and let cool.
02 - While the grains cool, prepare the dressing: Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked grains, diced pears, cucumber, red onion, arugula, walnuts, feta, and parsley.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast of warm nutty grains against crisp sweet pears creates that perfect restaurant texture at home
- It actually gets better after sitting in the fridge making it ideal for meal prep Sundays
02 -
- The farro needs to cool completely before mixing or the heat will wilt the delicate greens and make the feta melt into an unappealing texture
- Add the dressing right before serving not earlier because the grains will soak it up and become soggy if they sit too long
03 -
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat watching closely because they go from perfect to burned in seconds
- If making ahead add the fresh herbs and arugula right before serving to keep them vibrant and perky