Alfajores consist of two sweet biscuits sandwiched together with dulce de leche (or jam), and they are sprinkled with powdered sugar.

It’s a traditional cookie found in some regions in Spain and in countries of Latin America. I first made alfajores many years ago when my neighborhood had a little gourmet dinner group that met once a month. One of the gals in our group was Peruvian, and she suggested I bake these for her dinner party. Everyone loved them!

Picture serving steak with chimichurri sauce, empanadas, your favorite malbec or tequila and alfajores for dessert. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Ingredients needed:

• salted butter
• granulated white sugar
• egg yolks
• brandy or cognac
• vanilla extract
• lemon zest
• all purpose flour
• cornstarch
• baking soda, baking powder and salt
• grated coconut
• dulce de leche
• powdered sugar

How do you make Alfajores?

The full, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

Tips for making the best alfajores:

1. Make sure that your room temperature butter is pretty soft. If it’s too firm, the cookie dough will tend to be more crumbly.
2. Don’t be afraid to use the brandy! It does NOT give a liquor taste to these cookies. It works well with the lemon and vanilla, and I think it adds an element of flavor that wouldn’t be there if you left it out. If you have to leave it out, be sure to add 2 tablespoons of milk in its place.
3. Be sure to use ‘grated’ coconut and not shredded coconut. I am able to find it in a bulk bin at Whole Foods. If you cannot find it, go ahead and whir your shredded coconut in the food processor to create much smaller pieces.
4. Rounds are the typical shape used for these cookies. Try using different shaped round cutters. I made some 2-inch and then made some much smaller ones too.
5. Take the time to make homemade dulce de leche– it’s so easy to do and you’ll be happy you did! 

The first time I baked these, I brought them to a dinner party, and they were served with Lucuma ice cream that they hostess had made. Lucuma is a fruit that is native to Peru and it is rarely seen in the United States. Since the fruit cannot be brought to the US on the airplane, our hostess brought back Lucuma powder to make the ice cream. In Peru, Lucuma ice cream is more popular than chocolate ice cream and vanilla ice cream. I thought it was delicious. If I ever get myself to Peru, I’d love to try the real thing.

The alfajores were a big hit at the party. They were a perfect garnish for ice cream, and the few that were left over were gone before the end of the night.

If you’re up for trying something new, try baking alfajores. You’ll be glad you did because they really are so delicious. Enjoy!

Note: If you don’t like coconut, you can always leave it out. However, I’m one who doesn’t always like coconut but love it in these cookies. It doesn’t take on an overwhelming flavor at all.

Print

Alfajores

This traditional South American confection, is so delicious it's tough to resist.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Latin

Keyword alfajores, cookies, dulce de leche

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Chill Time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours

Servings 24 cookies (2-inch size)

Calories 143kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com

Ingredients

• ½ cup salted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons brandy or cognac
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup grated coconut
• 1 cup dulce de leche
• ¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until fluffy and creamy. Add the egg yolks and mix. Add the brandy, vanilla and lemon zest; mix well and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and work it together with your hands until all is combined and the dough is soft. Do not add any extra flour. You may wish to add a few drops of milk if the dough appears crumbly. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Working with half of the dough at a time (keep the other half refrigerated) on a floured work surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of ¼-inch. Cut into 2-inch rounds and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Repeat rolling and cutting with the 2nd half of the chilled dough. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. The cookies should be dry but not brown. Transfer to racks and cool.
• When the cookies are completely cool, match them up into pairs of like-sizes. Turn one cookie over and spread a dollop of dulce de leche onto the flat part of the cookie. Place its partner on top (flat side down) and gently press so that the caramel comes to the edges. Roll the edges in coconut and place them on a rack to set. Continue with the rest of the cookie pairs.
• When ready to serve, sift a light layer of powdered sugar over the tops of the cookies and place them on a platter.

Notes

• Make sure that your room temperature butter is pretty soft. If it's too firm, the cookie dough will tend to be more crumbly.
• Don't be afraid to use the brandy! It does NOT give a liquor taste to these cookies. It works well with the lemon and vanilla, and I think it adds an element of flavor that wouldn't be there if you left it out. If you have to leave it out, be sure to add 2 tablespoons of milk in its place.
• Be sure to use 'grated' coconut and not shredded coconut. I am able to find it in a bulk bin at Whole Foods. If you cannot find it, go ahead and whir your shredded coconut in the food processor to create much smaller pieces.
• Rounds are the typical shape used for these cookies. Try using different shaped round cutters. I made some 2-inch and then made some much smaller ones too.
• Take the time to make homemade dulce de leche- it's so easy to do and you'll be happy you did! Instructions HERE.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Alfajores appeared first on Recipe Girl®.

This radish salad is a deliciously fresh way to use this crisp veggie! Mix it with cucumber, chickpeas and a quick dressing.

Got a bunch of radishes? Try this Fresh Radish Salad! It’s a great way to use this crisp, peppery veggie for lunches and as an easy side dish. Throw together the radishes with crunchy cucumber, chickpeas, olive oil and vinegar it makes a delightfully zingy mix. This vegetable can be rather spicy in large quantities, but this salad has just the right proportions to highlight its refreshing flavor. This recipe perfect in spring when radishes abound, but it works any time of the year!

Looking for a green salad with radishes? Go to Radish Gorgonzola Salad.

Ingredients in this radish salad

This cucumber radish salad is simple and straightforward, pairing this peppery vegetable with a few crunchy veggies. The chickpeas add protein to make the salad more filling, adding a contrasting softer texture. We’re radish fans over here, and this salad is just the right way to highlight them. Here’s what you’ll need for this salad:

• Canned chickpeas
• Radishes
• Red bell pepper
• English cucumber
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Dried dill
• Fresh herbs, like fresh parsley, chives, dill, basil, mint, or oregano
• Salt and pepper

All you have to do? Chop the veggies and mix them with the oil, vinegar and seasonings. It’s a fresh, filling salad that works for lunches or for entertaining. Speaking of, here are some notes on the olive oil and vinegar quantities based on how you’re planning to use the salad.

Olive oil & vinegar quantities

You can flex the olive oil and vinegar quantities in this radish salad based on how you’re planning to use it. Here’s what to note:

• Use less oil and vinegar if eating right away. Make it to eat for lunch right away, and you can get away with ½ tablespoon oil and vinegar. It tastes great right when you mix it up.
• Use more if storing it refrigerated or making for a party. Use 1 tablespoon each oil and vinegar and it makes more of a marinated salad texture. This is best here because it can dry out in the fridge or as it sits.

Make a double batch for a party

This radish salad makes enough for 4 side dish servings, great for spring or summer meals on the patio. But want to make a large batch for a party, pitch-in, or picnic? Make a double batch! You’ll want to use the larger quantity of oil and vinegar for the party size, which will be 2 tablespoons each oil and vinegar. Click the 2x button in the recipe below.

Mix-ins and variations

Want to add flair to this radish salad? Here are a few ways to vary it up:

• Add � cup feta cheese crumbles for a salty punch
• Use ¼ cup fresh herbs like dill, chives or mint for an herbaceous vibe
• Add a crunch with toasted pinenuts or toasted almonds
• Serve it over greens to make a green salad; consider adding Blue Cheese Dressing (like in this Radish Gorgonzola Salad)

Ways to serve radish salad

This radish salad is ultra versatile: it works for lunches, as a side dish, or for picnics or potlucks. Here are some ideas:

• For lunches, stored in a covered jar
• As a side for fish or chicken like baked shrimp, sautéed shrimp, baked salmon or baked tilapia
• At a picnic, potluck or pitch in, with a few other salads like Fresh Couscous Salad, Antipasto Salad, Carrot Salad, Potato Salad, or Celery Salad

More radish recipes

Love spicy radishes? Here are a few more top radish recipes we love:

• Make a batch of tangy Quick Pickled Radishes
• Try unique Roasted Radishes
• Throw together Radish Salsa for tacos
• Make up simple Radish Toasts

01

Quick Pickled Radishes

02

Roasted Radishes

03

Radish Salsa Recipe

04

Radish Toasts

This cucumber radish salad recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Simple Radish Salad

---

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 small or 2 large

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This radish salad is a deliciously fresh way to use this crisp veggie! Mix it with cucumber, chickpeas and a quick dressing.

---

Ingredients

• 15-ounce can chickpeas (or 1 ½ cups cooked)
• 8 small or 5 large radishes, sliced (¼ cup)
• ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
• ¼ cup English cucumber, diced
• ½ tablespoon olive oil*
• ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (like fresh parsley, chives, dill, basil, mint, or oregano), optional
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Optional add-in: feta cheese crumbles

---

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
2. Slice the radishes. Dice the bell pepper. Dice the cucumber (peel it if you’re using a standard cucumber, but English cucumber doesn’t need to be peeled).
3. In a bowl, mix together the chickpeas, radishes, bell pepper and cucumber with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, dried dill, and chopped herbs. (If making to refrigerate or for a party where it will sit out, you can use up to 1 tablespoon each vinegar and olive oil.) Taste and add additional salt as desired. Stores refrigerated up to 3 days; you may want to add a pinch or two more salt after refrigeration to refresh the flavors.

Notes

*If making for a party, make a double recipe (use the 2x button).

• Category: Side dish
• Method: No cook
• Cuisine: Salad
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Radish salad, radish salad recipe

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

These fun and festive Easter egg cookies are the best dessert for Spring! The cookie base is sweet, soft, and buttery, topped with beautiful pastel royal icing as a colorful finishing touch!

Easter is just around the corner! Get your dessert lineup ready with these other tasty recipes! Easter cake, lavender cupcakes, and carrot cake cookies are just a few of my many favorites! Find my full list here.

Easter Egg Sugar Cookies With Royal Icing

You can’t go wrong with sugar cookies! They’re so buttery and soft, and you can frost them with whatever design you want! To get in the Easter spirit, today’s cookies are cute pastel Easter eggs to brighten up any party. I used royal icing to get the most precise design, but you can use your favorite frosting here instead! Buttercream and cream cheese frosting are both tasty choices!

These Easter egg sugar cookies are a great activity for the kids. I’ve included 3 designs to help get you started, but I think the fun part is coming up with your own! In no time, you’ll have sugar cookies that not only taste amazing but look amazing too! If you’re looking for more festive, delicious treats, you’ll have to try these awesome no-bake bird’s nest cookies, too! Making fun, themed treats is one of my favorite parts about holidays.

Sugar Cookie Ingredients

These Easter egg sugar cookies use a lot of basic baking ingredients which makes preparation a breeze! The only item I needed to get from the store was meringue powder for the royal icing. (This acts as a replacement for egg whites. Super useful if you’re wanting bakery-worthy icing without the hassle!) If you’re looking for measurements, they can all be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

• All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookies a light structure.
• Salt: A pinch is added to enhance the overall flavor!
• Baking Powder: Baking powder is a must for light, soft cookies! Your cookies will turn out hard and dense if you don’t add it in.
• Unsalted Butter: For richness and moisture.
• Granulated Sugar: Gives your Easter egg sugar cookies the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Egg Yolks: Egg yolks tenderize your dough, leaving you with a tender, more chewy cookie!
• Sour Cream: The secret ingredient for ultra-soft cookies!
• Vanilla Extract: A must for deep, complex flavor.
• Lemon Extract: (Optional) I like to add a little lemon extract for a pop of zesty flavor! Lemon desserts are perfect for spring!

Ingredients for Royal Icing

• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar adds sweetness to your icing but also makes it nice and smooth.
• Meringue Powder: This is a substitute for egg whites! Wanting to use egg whites instead? See my tips section below!
• Water: For adjusting consistency.
• Gel Food Coloring: I like using gel food coloring instead of liquid because it gives your icing more clarity and vibrance.

How to Make Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

This is a quick and easy recipe to make for all of your Spring get-togethers! Did I mention it only takes 8 minutes for the cookies to bake? Then all you’ve got to do is frost them! That’s my favorite part. Adding cute designs and seeing the Easter eggs take shape is so exciting!

1. Preheat Oven, Prep Cookie Sheets: First, preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2-3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Wet Ingredients: In another medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, sour cream, and extracts and mix until combined.
4. Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients Together: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.
5. Shape: Split the dough into 2-3 pieces and roll them one at a time on a lightly floured surface until they are ¼ inch thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out your cookies. Press the scraps together and set aside to rest for about 5 minutes. Reroll the scraps and cut more cookies until all the dough has been used.
6. Bake: Place the cookies on the parchment-lined cookie sheets leaving 1 ½ inches between them. Bake for 6-8 minutes, rotating the pan at 4 minutes. I find this gives the cookies a nice, even bake. The edges will be just set and the cookies will be very light in color and should have very minimal coloring underneath them.
7. Cool and Frost: Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2 minutes for the shape to set before transferring to a cooling rack. Frost once they are cooled or store in an airtight container until you are ready to frost them.

Preparing the Royal Icing

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, mix the powdered sugar and meringue powder together on low.
2. Stiff Frosting: Next, add 8 tablespoons of water and mix together on high speed for about 2 minutes. The icing should be pretty stiff. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until the icing is about the consistency of soft-serve ice cream and forms soft peaks. Reserve 1 cup of frosting and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
3. Filler Frosting: With the remaining icing, add additional water 1-2 teaspoons at a time until when the whisk is raised the icing drips back into the bowl and the lines of icing take about 10 seconds to melt back into the icing. This is the thin icing that will be used to fill, or flood, your cookies. Separate into small bowls and tint the icing with your chosen colors. Cover each bowl tightly with plastic wrap when not being used. This icing will dry very quickly.

Piping Cookie Designs

Blue Cookie: Flood the egg with blue icing. While the icing is still wet, work quickly and pipe 4 pairs of green lines. Pipe yellow dots between the top two pairs of green lines and the bottom green lines. Pipe five yellow dots in the center of the cookie to be the centers of your flowers. Use the pink icing to pipe five dots around each flower center.

Pink Cookie: Flood the egg with pink icing. While the icing is still wet, use the blue to pipe three lines at the bottom of the egg and three loops at the top to look like a flower. Use green to pipe a zigzag in the center of the cookie and to outline the blue loops at the top. Use the yellow to make dots above and below the zigzag. If you want to make them look like tear drops, use a toothpick or a scribe tool to drag the top of the dot upwards. Wipe the toothpick or scribe off between making each teardrop.

Yellow cookie: Flood the egg with yellow icing. Use green to make 4 lines across the cookie. Use blue to make 5 swirly likes across the egg.

More Spring Desserts

Spring is here, and that means it’s time to break out all of the tasty desserts! Bright colors and fruity flavors are here to stay. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite spring dessert recipes to accompany the warmer temperatures and good vibes. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Desserts

Perfect Lemon Bars

Desserts

Strawberry Cupcakes

Cheesecake

No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake

Desserts

Lemon Cupcakes

Print

Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

These fun and festive Easter egg cookies are the best dessert for Spring! The cookie base is sweet, soft, and buttery, topped with beautiful pastel royal icing as a colorful finishing touch!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Easter Egg Sugar Cookies

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes

Servings 18 Cookies

Calories 243kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• ½ Teaspoon Salt
• ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ Cup Unsalted Butter Softened
• 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream
• 1 ½ Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Extract optional

Royal Icing

• 4 Cups Powdered Sugar sifted
• 3 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
• 9-12 Tablespoons Water Room Temperature
• Gel Food Coloring

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350° and line 2-3 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In another medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, sour cream, and extracts and mix until just combined.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just barely combined.
• This recipe does not require any chilling time, so you’re ready to roll out your cookies! Split the dough into 2-3 pieces and roll them one at a time on a lightly floured surface until they are ¼ inch thick. Use your favorite Christmas tree cookie cutters (or alternative shapes!) to cut out your cookies. Press the scraps together and set them aside to rest for about 5 minutes. Reroll the scraps and cut more cookies until all the dough has been used.
• Place the cookies on the parchment-lined cookie sheets leaving 1 ½ inches between them. Bake for 6-8 minutes, rotating the pan at 4 minutes. I find this gives the cookies a nice, even bake. The edges will be just set and the cookies will be very light in color and should have very minimal coloring underneath them.
• Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2 minutes for the shape to set before transferring them to a cooling rack. Frost, once they are cooled then store in an airtight container until you are ready to frost them.

Royal Icing

• Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, mix the powdered sugar and meringue powder together on low.
• Add 8 tablespoons of water and mix together on high speed for about 2 minutes. The icing should be pretty stiff. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until the icing is about the consistency of soft-serve ice cream and forms soft peaks. Reserve 1 cup of frosting and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
• With the remaining icing, add additional water 1-2 teaspoons at a time until when the whisk is raised the icing drips back into the bowl and the lines of icing take about 10 seconds to melt back into the icing. This is the thin icing that will be used to fill, or flood, your cookies. Separate into small bowls and tint the icing with your chosen colors. Cover each bowl tightly with plastic wrap when not being used. This icing will dry very quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

This farro salad recipe mixes fresh veggies and a tangy dressing with this hearty whole grain! It makes a satisfying side dish or lunch salad.

Need a killer side salad or a fun lunch salad? Here’s a recipe that works as both: this Hearty Farro Salad! Farro is an ancient grain with a chewy texture and nutty flavor that’s burst on the scene in the past few years. It’s great as a side dish seasoned with garlic and herbs, but it’s also ideal for grain salads. This one is our new ultimate, pairing the whole grain with juicy tomatoes, earthy mushrooms, feathery arugula, savory pops of cheese, and a zingy vinaigrette.

Ingredients in this farro salad

This farro salad is fresh and veggie-packed, perfect as a side dish for dinner or as a lunch salad. You can save it up to 4 days refrigerated, so we typically use it for both! The flavor is Mediterranean-style, with a beautiful rainbow of jumbled vegetables. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make this farro salad:

• Farro: pearled or semi pearled
• Shallot and garlic
• Cherry tomatoes, rainbow if possible
• Button or cremini mushrooms
• Carrot
• Fresh herbs: fresh chives, mint or basil
• Baby arugula: use only baby arugula here! Standard arugula has too strong of a flavor. For a substitute, use other baby greens.
• Manchego cheese: or use Parmesan or fontina cheese (omit for vegan)
• Lemon juice
• Dijon mustard
• Olive oil

Types of farro

Farro is a whole grain that’s plump and chewy, with a texture similar to barley. It’s been a staple in Italian cuisine for centuries and recently spread to global popularity. Farro can be boiled on the stovetop, cooked in a rice cooker, or in a pressure cooker (Instant Pot). There are a few types you can find in American grocery stores:

• Pearled farro has all of the bran removed from the grain, making it quicker to cook but removing some fiber. The cook time is 15 to 20 minutes.
• Semi-pearled farro has part of the bran removed, retaining some additional fiber. The cook time is 25 to 30 minutes.
• Whole farro is the whole grain and takes the longest to cook, but it’s harder to find in grocery stores (in the US). So this farro salad works with pearled or semi pearled!

Keep in mind: the labeling of this grain in the grocery store can be confusing. Many packages don’t contain the words pearled or semi-pearled (looking at you, Bob’s Red Mill). Check the cook time on the package as a guide.

Tips on substitutions

This farro salad is pretty forgiving, and you can substitute or add different vegetables or cheese to taste. Here are a few ideas:

• Mushrooms: omit if you’re not a mushroom fan, but the raw mushrooms add a great earthy flavor and soft texture here!
• Baby arugula: don’t substitute standard arugula sold in bunches; it’s much too spicy! Use other baby greens like baby spinach or baby kale.
• Cheese: Manchego cheese is a Spanish cheese with a sweet, fruity flavor and firm texture that’s fabulous here! If you can’t find it, try Parmesan shavings instead. Or for a fun variation use Fontina cheese (like this Farro with Roasted Vegetables). You can also omit the cheese for vegan.
• Tomatoes: Out of season, look for greenhouse or hydroponic cherry tomatoes. Or add ripe, local cherry tomatoes in summer! For allergies, try another red vegetable like red pepper.

Ways to serve this farro salad

This farro salad is so versatile and works with many different meal concepts. Here are some ideas:

• Side dish for fish like salmon, baked cod, shrimp, tilapia or scallops
• Side dish for pizza (try these pizza recipes)
• With vegetarian or vegan mains like Easy Baked Tofu or Power Bowls
• Lunch salad for a healthy lunch idea
• Picnic salad
• Salad for a potluck or barbecue

How do you plan to serve it? Let us know in the comments below!

More farro recipes

Farro is one of our favorite grains (though of course, don’t forget quinoa!). Here are a few more farro recipes to use up your bag:

• Learn How to Cook Farro or try Instant Pot Farro
• Make savory Farro with Mushrooms & Parmesan
• Throw it into a Farro & Brussels Sprouts Soup
• Cook it up for grain bowls like Easy Grain Bowl or Easy Power Bowls

01

How to Cook Farro

02

Farro with Mushrooms & Parmesan

03

Farro & Brussels Sprouts Soup

04

Easy Power Bowls

This farro salad recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, omit the cheese.

Hearty Farro Salad

---

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This farro salad recipe mixes fresh veggies and a tangy dressing with this hearty whole grain! It makes a satisfying side dish or lunch salad.

---

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry farro (pearled or semi pearled)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 4 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (like fresh chives, mint or basil)
• 2 cups baby arugula (or other baby greens)
• ½ cup Manchego cheese, sliced into chunks (or Parmesan shavings or fontina cheese; omit for vegan)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

---

Instructions

1. Cook the farro: Rinse the farro under cold water in a fine mesh strainer. In a large saucepan, place the farro, 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the grains are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes for pearled farro and 25 to 30 minutes for semi-pearled farro. Taste test a grain to see if it is tender (if the package is unmarked, just cook until tender). Drain any excess water. Stir in the additional ¼ teaspoon salt. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in the freezer for 3 minutes until room temperature. (This step can be completed up to 2 days in advance; refrigerate the farro until making the salad.)
2. Prep the veggies: Meanwhile, chop the shallot, garlic, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, carrot, and fresh herbs as noted in the ingredient list above. Place the veggies in a large bowl, then add the baby arugula, cheese, and farro. 
3. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time, until creamy. 
4. Serve: Add the dressing to the bowl with farro and vegetables and toss. Taste and add another pinch or two of salt if desired. (Stores up to 4 days refrigerated; you may need to add a pinch or two more salt after refrigeration since it can dull the flavors.)

• Category: Side dish
• Method: Salad
• Cuisine: Salad
• Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Farro salad

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.