My Favorite Salad: Farro w/ Arugula, Feta & Marcona Almonds


One holiday down, 2 more to go.

I will try and eat light lunches for the rest of the month, so I can enjoy all the culinary delights this holiday season brings..........cakes, cookies, lots of wine and overindulgence.

This is a salad you will want to eat everyday for the rest of the week, it's that good!

It is basically a chopped Greek salad, only with that wonderful Italian grain "farro" from Umbria or Abruzzo and those delicious Marcona almonds from Spain. I love it.

Marcona almonds are so different from regular almonds. They have a much higher fat content, are rounder and plumper (is that a word?) than California almonds, and are more oily and sweet, a little pricier too, but a little goes a long way.


I will give you approximate amounts, since I don't know how hungry you are, or how many hungry salad eaters are joining you for lunch.

My Favorite Salad: (makes enough for 4 people)

1 1/2 cups of farro
1 lb. of baby arugula, washed and chopped
1/4 cup of kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup of Marcona almonds
1/4 cup of good quality feta cheese, grated into snow
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, quartered

Dressing:

3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
pinch of sea salt & pepper

Whisk dressing ingredients w/ a fork and set aside.

Cook the farro as per package instructions.
Not sure why some of your farro takes hours to cook, mine takes 25 minutes, and that's without the recommended 30 minute pre-soak.

Drain and rinse the farro in a colander under cool water, and add to a large bowl.


Chop everything into bite size pieces, the arugula, the olives, the almonds and the tomatoes and add to the bowl with the farro.

Drizzle a little dressing over everything and season w/ sea salt & black pepper.

Toss lightly and serve right away.


Enjoy!

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Comments

This is right up my alley, I want to make this today! I'm obsessed with marcona almonds and you're right, a little goes a long way.
Anonymous said…
First time I'm hearing of those almonds! So, you don't toast them up for this recipe? That's what I do with all nuts (pignoli being my fav) I use in salads, in a small dry skillet. I haven't seen them in the stores - where do you but them?
Stacey Snacks said…
Anon,
You can buy Marcona almonds from Spain in most grocery stores, my supermarkets here in NJ carry them.

No, you don't toast them, because they are so good on their own.
Anonymous said…
I am eating this salad for dinner, as I type..............delicious!!!!!
Just what the doctor ordered!
Unknown said…
Do you buy the macron almonds that are dry or the ones with oil? I prefer dry ones but not easy to find.
Nada on those almonds in MT. Amazon!
They are wonderful...addictive.
Stacey Snacks said…
Terri Friedman commenting on the blog! I buy the dry ones at Kings, pricey, but worth it.
The ones in oil are too greasy, however, I have used them too and they are also delish (Trader Joe's sells them).
xo
Dana said…
I bought both Marcona almonds and farro on our last Costco run! This sounds like my perfect salad.