Mushroom Farro Salad with Garlic & Herb Vinaigrette
By Sammi Brondo — October 11, 2024
A few years ago, I went on an incredible work trip to Japan to learn all about umami – the 5th basic taste.
If you’re unfamiliar, umami was discovered in Japan over 100 years ago. It literally translates to “essence of deliciousness” in Japanese.
Umami stays on the tongue longer than other flavors and promotes salivation. Its flavor is rich and delicious.
In the US, we add umami flavor to food by adding any foods that naturally contain glutamate, an amino acid.
One of my favorite sources of glutamate: mushrooms.
Mushrooms are not only versatile and nutritious, but they also contain that amazing umami flavor.
There are so many different mushroom varieties that can be used in different ways.
That’s why I love the Mushroom Council’s Mushroom Monday. It’s a day dedicated to celebrating mushrooms. Because if tacos get Tuesdays, then mushrooms deserve a whole day of their own too.
Use this day to cook them in recipes or order them at a restaurant. If you’re looking for a good place to start, this recipe is the perfect place.
I personally love a grain salad. It takes all the delicious components of a salad and adds grains, like farro, which are fiber- and protein-rich carbs that help maximize fullness.
And this grain salad is no exception. Each component in it adds depth and flavor in its own ways.
Farro: I used farro as the grain in this salad. Farro is an ancient grain with a chewy texture and mild flavor. It’s sold in most grocery stores, but if you can’t find farro, barley or quinoa are good substitutes.
Kale: Dino kale is used here. It’s a tough type of kale that holds up well to cooking. Once sauteed, it cooks down and gets softer, but still holds its texture nicely.
Shiitake mushrooms: This type of mushroom has an umbrella-shaped cap and a curved stem. It has an earthy flavor and a buttery texture when cooked. I absolutely love it in this salad.
Feta cheese: Feta cheese adds a delicious savory, salty, and creamy component to the dish.
Toasted pine nuts: If you’ve ever added toasted pine nuts to a dish before, you know how they can instantly elevate the entire meal. They have a deep nutty flavor that complements this salad so nicely.
Garlic & herb vinaigrette: This dressing is full of flesh garlic and herb flavor. It’s a little sweet and so flavorful. I recommend adding it slowly onto the salad so that you don’t add too much. I ended up using about half of the dressing when I made the recipe. As a bonus, I was able to use the leftover dressing on salads and other dishes all week.
This post is sponsored by the Mushroom Council. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Cook the farro
Cook farro according to instructions
Sauté mushrooms and kale
Add olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the kale to the pan and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale has cooked down. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Prep the dressing
Add all ingredients to a mason jar or bowl with a lid. Shake vigorously until well combined. Set aside.
Assemble the salad
Assemble the salad. Add the cooked farro, sautéed mushrooms, and kale. Add the dressing (start with about half the dressing and add more as desired). Toss everything together well.
Serve
Add the crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts on top and serve.
*To toast pine nuts, add them to a hot pan over medium heat. Let them toast, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until they’re browned and fragrant.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 cup shiitake mushrooms roughly chopped
- 1 bunch dino kale de-stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cooked farro about 3/4 cups dry
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts see notes
Garlic & herb vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the kale to the pan and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale has cooked down. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Prepare the dressing. Add all ingredients to a mason jar or bowl with a lid. Shake vigorously until well combined. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad. Add the cooked farro, sautéed mushrooms, and kale. Add the dressing (start with about half the dressing and add more as desired). Toss everything together well.
- Add the crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts on top and serve.
- *To toast pine nuts, add them to a hot pan over medium heat. Let them toast, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until they’re browned and fragrant.
