Harvest Farro Salad with Roasted Squash and Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

2021-11-05

Get the best of fall with this Harvest Farro Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and a Pomegranate Molasses Dressing. A seasonal favorite full of nutrition and delicious flavors for a side dish or main!

I knew when Jess agreed to join Team Maven that it would be a huge asset to us. Not only is she insanely talented in the kitchen, but she is literally the ying to my yang. Where I’m disorganized, she’s a neat freak. Where I don’t have the patience to test recipes 5 times, she finds joy in it. Where I forget (more like intentionally don’t remember) to clean my stove-top, she’s scrubbed it before she’s even settled in to our home. We both share a deep love for Bodhi though.

What I didn’t expect was that not only would she be a huge contributor to THM, but my Mom would also try to adopt her (that or marry her off to my brother – either works!). Like many of you, Jess has gotten to know Mama Maven over the past few years. Lucky for her, she got to meet her when she was in town a few months ago. Sparks literally flew. While I’m certain my Mom loves me and both my sisters, Jess is 100% the daughter she kind of wishes she had. I think we’re all okay with it.

They bonded over my lack of organization and tidiness (an area my Mom and I strongly disagree on). Jess also brought this Fall Harvest Farro Salad for us to enjoy. While, Mama Maven has certainly made some of my recipes, I’m pretty sure she’s now exclusively making THM recipes since Jess joined the team. These two have a special bond.

So much so that when my Mom asked me about 5 times to send her this recipe (it hadn’t been posted yet) and I forgot all 5 times, she went straight to the source. Jess and my Mom now email and IG message each other and if the adoption paperwork hasn’t been filed, I’d be shocked.

This Harvest Farro Salad 100% sealed the deal.

Jess is not only keeping my Mom happy, she’s also making me a hit amongst my friends. On the day we cooked and shot this Farro Salad, I brought the leftovers over to a friend’s housewarming party. Everyone kept asking who made the salad and I honestly felt bad taking credit for it since the credit really is due to Jess. It is definitely a team effort over here, but I have to say that Jess has elevated Team Maven to a whole other level. I’m feeling incredibly grateful to have her as part of the team…I know Mama Maven would agree!

Harvest Farro Salad with Roasted Squash and Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

Author: Jess @ The Healthy Maven
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield: 8-10 servings 1x

Scale

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

2/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar work great too!)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sumac
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of cardamon
juice from 1/2 a lemon

For the Salad:

2 lbs butternut or delicata squash
1 cup farro
4 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup currants (optional)
3/4 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup castelvetrano olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 bunch parsley, leaves picked and chopped
1 bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped
zest from 1 lemon

Instructions

Cook farro according to instructions.
Peel and cube the squash. Coat with olive oil and salt and roast at 400F for about 30 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking time.
Zest the lemon and set aside. Add the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake until combined.
Add cooked farro, roasted squash, pistachios, dates, currants, olives, pomegranate seeds and lemon zest to a big bowl. Add 1/3-1/2 of the dressing and toss to combine.
Add the herbs just before serving and toss once more to combine.

*This salad can be made a day ahead by leaving out the pistachios, dressing and herbs, adding those right before serving. Cover chopped herbs with a damp towel/paper towel and store in an airtight container.