New Podcast is ready for your ears! The Grass is Always Greener. Dudes… it’s a good one!
I meant to make cake. I meant to make whipped cream. I meant to buy fresh raspberries. I mean to smash the three things together into a large bowl and eat it all… and then I made salad.
Don’t yell. We can not survive on doughnuts alone.
Let me tell you a little something about me… I do this weird thing wherein I eat one thing, all day. That’s not to say that I eat one carrot all day. No. I eat carrots, and only carrots all day. I don’t know why I do this. Welcome to crazybrain.
So! A few days ago when I made doughnuts…. I ate doughnuts all day. Doughnuts and lime popsicles… because I was thirsty. Clearly something is wrong with me.
I tell you all of this because it’s important you understand that salad is a good thing around these parts. A salad recipe means that I’m eating salad all day. My thighs like those days.
Know what makes salad tolerable? Doughnuts.
No… stop that. Caramelized onions.
I’m pretty sure that caramelizing onions with a touch of balsamic vinegar is just like turning onions into candy.
Do you know what farro is? It’s one of my favorites. Farro is a type of wheat. It’s boiled in salted water like pasta, then drained. When cooked it’s puffed and tender, with a hint of al dente crunch. I love this grain. Hearty, wholesome and delicious.
I found farro is the bulk section at Whole Foods, but you can also order it online here.
It’s one of my favorite grains. It’s popular in Italy. Let’s make it popular here.
Oh! If you’re not into farro, why not try Israeli Couscous?
Secret: roasting cherry tomatoes on the vine makes them instantly more fancy and cool.
It is our mission in life to be fancy and cool. Duh.
Yummy candy onions, fancy roasted tomatoes, hearty farro and fresh parsley.
Yes, I put parsley in every savory dish I make. It’s my thing. It makes me feel chef-y. It’s like Rachel Ray calling extra virgin olive oil EVOO. Just give me this parsley thing and we’ll call it even.
Oh. Ps. Put fresh grated Parmesan Cheese on this salad. It is a wonderful suggestion from me to you.
Roasted Tomato and Caramalized Onion Farro Salad
serves 4
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 (or a few good pinches) salt
1/2 teaspoon (or a good pinch) crushed red chili flakes
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup farro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place cherry tomatoes on a sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and red chili flakes. Bake for 15 minutes, or until some tomatoes have burst and are golden brown and sizzling. Remove from the onion and set aside to cool slightly.
Place olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sliced onions and toss to coat in fat. Allow onions to cook down for 5 minutes without stirring. Toss after 5 minutes, then allow to cook without being disturbed for another 5 minutes. Add salt and toss. Onions will begin to brown and break down. Remove from the heat momentarily, keep your nose back, and add balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat all of the onions. Return to heat and allow to cook down to a melty onion consistency. Onions will be browned, broken down and delicious.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. When water boils, add a pinch of salt. Add farro and stir. Cook farro until it is softened through and has a light al dente bite to it, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain farro in a strainer, return to pot, and toss with olive oil. Add roasted tomatoes, caramalized onions, and chopped parsley. Toss and serve warm.
Farro salad will last up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Rach
I like your recipe, but I *love* your fish plate.
Meg H.
I just made a very similar salad last night for dinner! Great minds think alike. I added chopped kalamata olives and feta and thyme with the tomatoes. A little lemon and olive oil – perfect! Farro is my new go-to grain – mmmmm.
Heather (Heather's Dish)
i adore farro and finally found it stocked at my local whole foods! can’t wait to jump right in with this recipe.
Meghan
Beautiful pics! You always take great ones! The vine roasted tomatoes look way fancy, I gotta try that!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Mmm those tomatoes look killer! Love this recipe Joy. I’ll make this, then eat doughnuts.
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
“roasting cherry tomatoes on the vine makes them instantly more fancy and cool.” <— YES it does! I was thinking before I even read that sentence, wow, those look so FANCY!
Yummy recipe, Joy!
And I really liked the vintage pic of you on IG!
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles
I’ve never had that grain but you’ve sold me! Sounds great!!!! :)
Are you sure we can’t live off donuts alone?!?!
coffeeaddict
This is so simple and yummy looking. I’ve been given tomatoes by my parents on a weekly basis for the past 7 weeks. It’s been super fun for the first three weeks with regular pasta and pasta salad and risotto and gazpacho and panzanella, now I just make a regular mixed salad because I’m tired of all the lengthy preparations. This looks quick & simple.
Isabel
Yummy!!!!!!!!!! I´ve been following your site for a while already, but never wrote any comment. You haver really good ideas, so original. Loved your salad. Besos ;)
Lucia
Doughnuts and lime popsicles. You’re totally my best friend, Joy. Well, you don’t know it yet, but I’m going to ask you it right now: would you like to be my friend, Joy? (I’m following your advice, ask people to be friends, if you would like them to be your friends). You would be welcome here in Italy, where farro is popular and cherry tomatoes too ;-)
Kathryn
I like to roast my tomatoes on the vine because they look so pretty and I’m all about the pretty. I love this salad, what a perfect combination of flavours.
Adeline
Hmm it’s breakfast time here but all I want is this salad. Well, this salad and the doughnuts from your previous recipe..
Irma
I love this salad!
I like your salads, I like your soups, I like even more your cakes. That means we are balanced people, doesn’t it?
Cayla
That sounds so good! Any substitutions for farro though? Not much of that in this end of the world and I don’t trust myself with online shopping! haha :)
Much love from Fiji.
Banana Wonder
what a fantastic recipe. i gotta try that insanely cool on the vine roasting tip. that is hot! hot! hot! love these kinds of salads ~ inner thighs.