Pear and Farro Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash
We’ve all been there. You order a salad with pears or apples and it’s basically a salad with sliced apples or pears on top. The fruit usually ends up falling to the bottom of your plate or you have to work endlessly to break up the fruit to ensure a bite of sweetness in every forkful. If you’ve been there and you’re ready for the solution, break out your Inspiralizer and spiralize those fruits!
Spiralizing fruits on Blade D makes thin, spaghetti like noodles, so when you toss the salad together, the noodles intertwine with the rest of the ingredients, so every time you take a bite, you get a little piece of fruit!
A hearty grain like farro is the best for dishes with fruit, in my opinion, because you get the nutty rich flavor of the grain and the crunchy, sweet flavor of fruit. I love farro and I don’t cook with it enough – it’s ideal in soups, casseroles, grain bowls, but also as a family-style salad dish! It displays beautifully for your Thanksgiving table (if you’re still looking for ideas!) and it’s easy to serve. Farro is a strong source of iron and plant-based protein, making this a nutritious dish to provide for your guests!
Like with all of my grains, I always feel safe using Bob’s Red Mill products. The organic farro cooked perfectly to an al dente texture – never mushy, never chewy. I think it’s a testament to the quality of Bob’s, that’s why I love partnering with them – I truly use their products every single day and swear by them!
The pecans you’ll want to make all the time – so bookmark this recipe! Not only are the pecans easy and quick to prepare and cook, they make your entire home smell like the holidays, or like you just baked some extravagant cake. I always make extra, put them out in a bowl, and my husband usually devours them in a day or two.
Now, although I really recommend serving this with delicata squash, if you can’t find that squash or you’ve never tried it before and not sure if you’ll like it, you can sub in roasted butternut squash! No matter how you make it, you’ll love this dish – the goat cheese seals the deal!
If you make this dish on Thanksgiving, tag #inspiralized so we can see and reshare! Happy holidays – I love this time of year, especially with our two little ones, everything is so magical through their eyes!
Note: Although this post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill, all opinions are my own, always.
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Nutritional Information & Recipe
Pear and Farro Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 2 small delicata squashes halved lengthwise, insides scooped out, and sliced into half-inch thick half moons
- extra virgin olive oil to brush
- salt and pepper
- 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 1 anjou or bosc pears
- 1/3-1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
- In a large saucepan, combine the farro with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the farro is tender, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the squash on one baking sheet, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes or until tender, flipping halfway through.
- While squash bakes, in a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and cinnamon. Add the pecans and toss well to combine. Spread the pecans out on the other prepared baking sheet and season with salt. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool. Break up roughly.
- Spiralize the pear with Blade D. If the noodles don’t break up easily when tossed, chop roughly first.
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside.
- If serving family style: in a large mixing bowl, add the farro, pear noodles, half the baked pecans, and half the goat cheese. Pour over the dressing and toss well to combine. Serve the farro salad with the delicata squash arranged on top and sprinkle with remaining pecans and goat cheese.
- If serving as a personal salad: in a large mixing bowl, add the farro, pear noodles, baked pecans, and goat cheese. Pour over the dressing and toss well to combine. Divide mixture into bowls and top each with pieces of squash (about 6.)
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