beautiful butternut squash farro salad is super easy and so delicious!

This butternut squash farro salad is literally “fall” on a plate!

I’ve been making this delicious salad for YEARS – here’s why!

As I’ve MORE than shared here I am not a “salad” person. TBH, I’m really not much of a fruits-and-veggies person either. BUT. A salad like this beauty wins my heart every time.

roasted vegetables for the win – again!

Winter squash is my jam – the minute the temps turn cooler I am the first in line to snatch up all the delicata, acorn and butternut squash. And, pretty much without exception, you’ll find me in the kitchen roasting them up. Roasting – as I’ve gone on and on about – is in my opinion the BEST way to serve up veggies, and especially winter squash. It deepens the flavor, heightens the color and caramelizes the edges.

give me ALL the mix-ins!

I’m also smitten with any salads and sides that boast a variety of what I call “mix-ins” – a bit of crunch, a bit of cheese, a bit of sweet, all elevate pretty much any dish, but especially salads!

what’s in butternut squash farro salad?

This recipe is a perfect example of one that looks complex, but isn’t at all, thanks to the abundance of colors and textures that do the heavy lifting here. This is what you’ll need to make it:

butternut squash
shallot
olive oil
farro
balsamic vinegar
lemon
parsley
dried cherries
walnuts
feta

how do you make it?

Start by peeling and cubing the squash, and roasting it along with the shallot (roasting the shallot mellows the “bite” and caramelizes it at the same time). While the squash is cooking you’ll prepare the farro and toss in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Once the roasted butternut squash and shallots have cooled a bit you’ll add that as well and serve!

frequently asked questions!

It’s officially November – which means Thanksgiving is around the corner – and this would be a lovely vegetarian side dish to serve up to your guests. This butternut squash salad is one of my family’s favorite recipes and I know you will love it too! Let me know if you make it!

Butternut Squash Farro Salad

sherisilver

Beautiful, easy, do-ahead AND delicious!

4.89 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Salad

Servings 6

Calories 424 kcal

Equipment

• Sheet pan
• microplane
• lemon squeezer

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 medium butternut squash peeled, halved and seeded
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup pearled farro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• juice and zest of one large lemon
• chopped parsley, to taste
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• chopped feta cheese, optional

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash into cubes and toss with the sliced shallot and 1 tablespoon of olive oil on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool.
• While the squash is roasting, place the farro in a large saucepan, cover with 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes (adding more water if needed). Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook until tender, about 10 minutes longer.
• When the farro has finished cooking, drain any remaining water and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted squash and shallots, parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and zest, cherries and walnuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow the flavors to develop for a few hours (or overnight) and serve warm or at room temperature, passing the feta separately.

Notes

1. Shallot may be substituted with red onion or scallions.
2. You can use red wine vinegar in place of balsamic.
3. Swap your favorite dried fruits and nuts for the cranberries and walnuts here.
4. If you can only find unpearled farro, soak overnight in a bowl of water, drain and proceed with the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 424kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 11gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 854mgFiber: 13gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 13299IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 3mg

Keywords butternut squash, farro, salad, vegan, vegetarian

did you make this recipe?tag @sherisilver on instagram!

Please note that this post contains affiliate links. As a Rewards Style influencer I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases – at no additional cost to you.

About the author

Sheri Silver

Sheri Silver is a New York-based food photographer and recipe developer who has been cooking and baking for over 30 years. She works with brands, authors and restaurants to create recipes that are as beautiful as they are foolproof - and every recipe on this blog has been made, tweaked and eaten in her own kitchen.

Related posts:

winter fruit salad butternut squash panzanella kale farro salad