I used to have a delicious salad at Nordstrom cafe in California. It had pasta, chicken, feta, and a lemon dressing. I always wanted to recreate that salad but it has been a while since I had it last as I haven’t been able to find it in Tampa.  It seems when I do get to the mall it is later in the day and all of those salads are already gone!

I was lucky enough to find it last week but the taste was different from what I remember. I also saw that they had an arugula salad with strawberries and vanilla vinaigrette so I thought hmm ok and left.

I couldn’t stop thinking about strawberries on a salad all week so I had to make my own version.

This is by far one of my favorite salads.

I decided to try adding grain to make the salad more hearty.  In the past, I have used quinoa on salads but I have always wanted to try farro, so I used farro this time to add another layer of flavor.

Arugula, strawberries, goat cheese, fennel, Marcona almonds, farro with vanilla bean vinaigrette. Yes, I made the vinaigrette and it is so tailor-made for this salad.

I cooked the farro in vegetable broth with a bay leaf and a pinch of salt and it developed such a delicious flavor.

I love this salad’s sweetness and freshness, making it perfect for spring and summer. I also love the different types of textures from all the ingredients.

The strawberries infuse the arugula with their sweet flavor and aroma then you taste the tanginess and creaminess of the goat cheese. The fennel adds another layer of sweetness but if you’re not a fennel fan you can perfectly omit it.  Finally, the crunchiness of the almonds and the chewiness and deep flavor of the farro really takes this salad to another level.  It really is an amazing choice as a main dish for lunch, a light dinner, or a side dish.

If you want to make it vegan, just replace the honey in the dressing for maple and use a plant-based cheese such as Tofutti ‘Better than ricotta’ or Daiya ‘Mozzarella shreds’ (not sponsored).

I served the salad as you see it in the photos and we couldn’t stop adding farro to it. I made the dressing with a subtle vanilla flavor and a hint of sugar and honey so it wouldn’t be too sweet. It really is an amazing combination of flavors. It is light and refreshing but also so filling, we definitely loved it.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did and if you make it please let me know what you think. You can tag me here or here.

I hope you guys have a great week!

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Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese and Farro

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 (4 oz) package of baby arugula
• 4 oz of goat cheese
• 1 1/2 cups of strawberries, halved
• 1/2 cup of toasted almonds
• 1/3 cup of fennel, thinly sliced
• For the farro:
• 1 1/2 cup of vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 1/2 cup of farro
• 1 bay leaf
• a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil
• For the Vinaigrette:
• 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tbs of champagne vinaigrette
• 1/3 of vanilla pod
• 1/2 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 tsp of honey
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. For the Farro: Drizzle a small amount of olive oil in a small pan and sauté the farro for a few seconds (like you would do with risotto) on medium high heat. Add a the broth, the bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Let it cook uncovered for about 30 minutes or until all liquid has evaporated and the farro has reached your preferred texture. Set aside to cool down.
2. Place arugula on a serving plate. Add the fennel, the farro, the strawberries, almonds and goat cheese.
3. Whisk the olive oil and the vinegar, add the vanilla, sugar, honey, salt and pepper - adjust sweetness to your taste.
4. Serve with a drizzle of vinaigrette on top and a sprinkle of salt.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 422Total Fat 37gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 27gCholesterol 33mgSodium 762mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 2gSugar 9gProtein 11g

Did you make this recipe?

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