Fall Farro Salad with Carrots

This warm fall farro salad features chewy grains, sautéed carrots, white beans, cranberries, and herbs. Works as a vegan main course or holiday side dish!

Since I don’t cook turkey for Thanksgiving anymore, I’ve become a big fan of whole grains as part of the holiday meal. They’re not meant to replace turkey, obviously, but something chewy-textured is a must for a plant-based feast and whole grains fit the bill perfectly.

Enter this fall farro salad, which I designed specifically for Thanksgiving. It has the familiar seasonal flavors we expect for the holiday – celery, cranberries, root vegetables – in an easy grain salad format that can be served warm or at room temperature.

Why You Should Make This Fall Farro Salad

• It’s balanced. The contrast of chewy, soft, and crunchy textures, and of sweet cranberries and tangy lemon, makes it super satisfying to eat. Plus, it has enough protein, complex carbs, and vegetables to be a complete meal on its own.
• No special equipment needed. No need to bust out your food processor or blender here. All you need is a pot, a skillet, and a mixing bowl.
• Delicious warm or at room temp. This farro salad is perfect for Thanksgiving feasts of all kinds (including potlucks!) because it can sit out at room temp for an hour or two without getting weird.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Farro: Comes in two forms – pearled and whole. Pearled has had its outermost layer polished away, which strips some of the nutrients but does help it cook faster. Whole farro takes about 15 minutes longer to cook than pearled. As a substitute, you can use wheatberries or barley.
• Carrots: Parsnips cut to a similar size would work, too.
• Celery: Adds crunch and freshness.
• Shallot: You can use red onion instead.
• Dried Cranberries: As substitutes, use raisins or dried currants.
• Almonds: You can use slivered, sliced, or just roughly chopped almonds here. Make sure they’re roasted, though! Sub with pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts.
• Lemon Juice: If you don’t have fresh lemons around, use a mild vinegar (like apple cider or red wine).

How to Make This Farro Salad

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Boil the Farro

Start by boiling water for the farro (it cooks just like rice). Salt the boiling water, add the grains, cover with a lid, and simmer til all the water is absorbed. Do not stir during cooking, or you’ll end up with mushy, sticky grains.

Step 2: Sauté the Carrots

Meanwhile, cut up the carrots. Saute them with olive oil and spices until they’re golden and softened, but still have a bit of a bite, about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Gather the Other Ingredients

While the farro and carrots cook, chop up the celery, shallot, and parsley, and place them in a big mixing bowl. Drain and rinse a can of white beans, and add to the veg. The cranberries and almonds can go in, too.

Step 4: Finish the Salad

Add the warm farro and carrots to the bowl, and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Note: It’s important that the farro is warm when you mix the salad so it can absorb the other flavors. You can serve the salad warm or at room temp, though.

Make-Ahead Tips

If making the salad for a dinner party or potluck, you can assemble it up to 2 hours in advance and keep it at room temperature. If you want to prep it a day or two in advance, cook the farro and carrots and combine them; combine all the other salad ingredients in a separate container (except the almonds and dressing). Keep everything in the fridge.

When ready to serve, warm up the farro-carrot mixture, then combine with the other ingredients, dress with oil and lemon juice, and toss in the almonds. (If you add the almonds too soon in advance, they’ll lose their crunch).

More Vegan Holiday Recipes…

• The Best Thanksgiving Salad
• Vegan Mushroom Gravy
• Roasted Green Beans Almondine
• Vinegret (Ukrainian Beet Salad)

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.