A hearty fall roasted cauliflower and farro salad with pistachios and pomegranate. Every bite features a diverse mix of flavors and textures that will keep you intrigued so you’ll just keep coming back for more.
Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Pistachios and Pomegranate

A few weeks ago I was smacked in the face (literally if you count how often I get kicked by a certain toddler at night) with the realization that we’ve been eating a lot of white rice and way not enough whole grains. It came when I placed a plate with either quinoa or farro or brown rice in front of Remy and she screamed “NOOOOOOOO!!! I want REAL rice” (ie white rice).

OMG that kid is too much. But also, I’ve created a monster.

Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Pistachios and Pomegranate
After that I’ve been making a real effort to include more whole grains in our meals. We had a freekeh dish this past weekend (which Remy didn’t eat, but at least she looked at it! haha) and I’ve been making more grain salads with things like farro or spelt berries. It’s all about the exposure even if she refuses to try them.

Farro is probably my favorite for things like grain salads or grain bowls. It has an awesome texture like wheat berries or spelt berries but it cooks up in a third of the time (about 20 minutes). And unlike quinoa, which can really soak up a dressing and become soggy, it maintains its chew even after being mixed together with other salad components.

This salad is particularly perfect for fall. It’s from the A Girl and Her Greens cookbook and combines roasted cauliflower with lightly caramelized onions, juicy pomegranate seeds, and toasted pistachios. Each bite is a fresh mix of flavors and textures so you can’t possibly get bored while eating it. The dressing is a simple lemon and olive oil vinaigrette that really lets the flavors of the veggies, herbs, and mix-ins shine. Also, it makes a massive amount that you can eat for lunches or dinners all week long!

Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Pistachios and Pomegranate

Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Pistachios and Pomegranate
 
A hearty fall roasted cauliflower and farro salad with pistachios and pomegranate. Every bite features a diverse mix of flavors and textures that will keep you intrigued so you'll just keep coming back for me.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • ¼ cup carrot juice
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 pinches of red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup + 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp Maldon sea salt
  • 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 cups cooked farro
  • ¼ cup unsalted pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • handful mint leaves, minced
  • handful of parsley, minced
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 450F.
  2. Stir together the raisins and the carrot juice in a small bowl. Set aside to allow the raisins to plump up.
  3. In a large bowl, toss together the coriander, cauliflower, garlic, red pepper flakes, ¼ cup of the olive oil, and 1 tsp of the salt. Pour into a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Add ¼ cup water to the bowl that you just mixed everything up in to soak up any of the spices that were left behind. Pour into the baking dish.
  4. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
  5. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring often, until the onion is starting to brown and caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add in 1 tsp of the salt, stir to mix, and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
  6. Once the vegetables are at room temperature, add the cauliflower to the bowl with the onion. Stir in the cooked farro, pistachios, pomegranate seeds, lemon juice, remaining 3 tbsp olive oil, remaining 1 tsp coriander, the soaked raisins and carrot juice. Add the mint and parsley and stir again to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Notes

 

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2 Responses to Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Pistachios and Pomegranate

  1. Pam says:

    I love all the textures and flavors in this beauty! I’ll take Remy’s portion.

  2. Kate says:

    I’m going through a very bulgar phase right now so I very much understand this.

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