Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula {Vegetarian}

Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula has a lot going on with relatively few ingredients. It’s chewy, sweet, peppery, salty and vegetarian, and is satisfying for either lunch or dinner.

As summer ends and we transition into Autumn, my thoughts go to heartier dishes.

But in Southern California, the thermometer often gives the lie to the season (it was 90 here on the weekend!), so it pays to have a sheaf of fall salads up your sleeve that won’t weigh you down, but will fill you up.

Farro Date Salad The Italian grain farro really makes this salad, with its firm, chewy texture and nutty flavor. Dates and mango add sweetness without being sugary, arugula adds a bite of pepper, and capers add a salty spark.

Welcome, fall!

Let’s make Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula.

Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula

Farro Date Salad with Mango and Arugula has a lot going on with relatively few ingredients. It's chewy, sweet, peppery, salty and vegetarian, and is satisfying for either lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

1 (3.7-ounce) bag Farro
4 Medjool dates
1 Ataulfo mango (this is sometimes called a champagne mango)
1 cup packed arugula leaves
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 tablespoons Caesar salad dressing (or Italian dressing or oil and vinegar)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10 grinds fresh black peppercorns

Directions

Put the farro in a pot, cover with water by 2 inches, and soak overnight. (This cuts down on the cooking time the next day.) When ready to cook, drain farro, refill water and heat until boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and simmer farro 10 or so minutes, until it is al dente with a nice chew to it. If you have forgotten to soak it overnight, it might take 30 or so minutes to cook. When done, drain in a colander and allow farro to cool.
Pit and cut (or snip with a kitchen shears) dates into small pieces. If they are too sticky, freeze them for 15-30 minutes before snipping, to make it easier.
Peel, pit and cut mango flesh into a small dice. Chop arugula leaves if they are large, or leave them whole if they are baby or micro. Drain capers.
In a large mixing bowl, add cooled farro, dates, mango, arugula and capers. Add dressing, oil and ground pepper. Stir to combine well, taste, and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Serves 4.

Notes

Recipe source: Dorothy Reinhold / Shockingly Delicious

Note about farro: If you soak the farro overnight, you can cut way down on the cooking time.

http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/farro-date-salad-with-mango-and-arugula/