Meatless Monday: Vegan warm farro salad with roasted carrots and fennel

Ready to serve a salad teeming with roasted veggies and a fabulous whole grain? If your answer is yes, then this is the salad you need to try. More like a main dish than a side, this vegan and Meatless Monday recipe for warm farro salad with roasted carrots and fennel is so delicious. Winter veggies are roasted until golden and then tossed with a favorite whole grain of mine — farro — for a fab meal.

Fennel is similar to celery in looks and texture, but it has a slight licorice, or anise, flavor to it. It’s not overwhelming, so don’t worry if you’re not a fan of licorice. It pairs nicely alongside carrots, which take on a sweeter flavor thanks to oven-roasting them.

Toss these veggies together with the warm farro, a bit of olive oil and lemon zest, and you’re in for a great dish.

Vegan warm farro salad with roasted carrots and fennel recipe

This is a salad that is perfect for the winter months. Roasting the vegetables in the oven is easy and quicker than you might think. This is a lovely dish for a special gathering or as one to brighten a weeknight meal.

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked farro
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 4 large carrots, peeled and ends trimmed, cut into 3 pieces and quartered
• 2-3 fennel bulbs, stalks, fronds and core removed, cut into 4 wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle over salad
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Prepare the farro according to the package directions, but replace the water with vegetable broth.
3. As the farro cooks, add the carrot pieces to 1 baking sheet and the fennel to another. Drizzle both with the olive oil, and season with the salt and black pepper.
4. Bake the vegetables for about 15 minutes, tossing once or twice. Check to make sure the vegetables are softening, and remove them once they turn dark golden.
5. Toss the farro and vegetables into a serving bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and garnish with the lemon zest.
6. Toss, and serve warm.

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More Meatless Monday recipes

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Farro, radicchio and pear salad with lemon-basil vinaigrette