Manchego Apple Kale Farro Salad

A brand new salad just hit the blog and she is absolutely perfect for fall (and using up your apple orchard haul!)

This gorgeous kale apple farro salad is packed with manchego cheese, sweet dried cranberries, and a lovely maple pecan pumpkin seed crunch. That easy cider dressing pulls everything together, and every ingredients gives the salad incredible flavors and textures.

Get a nice boost of fiber and protein from the farro and nuts, plus lots of vitamins from all of that fresh produce! This would be a wonderful side dish for your holiday table or the perfect meal prep lunch (it stays good for days!)

Ingredients in this apple kale farro salad

You know I love a big salad filled with all things crunchy, sweet, and savory. That’s exactly what this harvest salad is all about! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Farro: I’m a big fan of pearl couscous in salads, but I wanted to mix it up by using farro instead. I LOVE the chewy texture and slightly nutty flavor that it adds, plus the extra fiber and protein.
• Fruits & veggies: we’re using kale as the base for this salad for a big boost of greens. It also helps the salad hold up over multiple days! You’ll also add red onion, and a diced apple (honeycrisp is my favorite).
• Mix-ins: add a little extra sweetness with dried cranberries or chopped Medjool dates, and a savory kick with grated Manchego or parmesan cheese.
• Dressing: my flavorful maple cider dressing is made with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard, fresh garlic, and a little salt and pepper.
• Crunch: every good salad has a little crunch to it, so we’re also toasting up some pecans and pumpkin seeds with maple syrup and a pinch of salt.

Make this salad your own

Like with most salad recipes, this apple farro salad is fun and easy to customize:

• Choose your cheese: you can really use whatever you’re feeling! A sharp white cheddar would be great in this, or try a crumbled cheese like feta or goat cheese.
• Add more veggies: feel free to add in 3 to 4 cups of cubed roasted sweet potato or butternut squash. Learn how to cut & roast butternut squash HERE!
• Get extra crunchy: this salad is also delicious topped with ½ heaping cup toasted bread crumbs, croutons, or crushed pita chips for crunch.

Can I make it gluten-free or dairy-free?

Yes — it’s easy!

• To make gluten-free: simply omit the farro, or swap it for a short, gluten-free pasta or quinoa or even cooked brown rice!
• To make dairy-free: leave the manchego cheese out.

Add a delicious boost of protein

Feel free to add:

• A can of rinsed, drained chickpeas
• Crispy bacon for a lovely salty flavor boost
• Cooked, cubed chicken breast
• Sliced sautéed chicken sausage (I tried it and and it was FABULOUS!)

Don’t forget these tips for using raw kale

Raw kale leaves are much tougher than a leafy green like spinach, so don’t forget these tips for making kale salads:

• Chop it small. Be sure to chop it very finely so that the bites aren’t too large. Use a sharp knife or salad chopper, or pulse the kale a few times in a food processor.
• Massage it. Add the dressing to your bowl with the kale, farro, and red onion first and toss it all together really well. You can even do this with your hands and “massage” the dressing in so that everything is well coated.
• Let it marinate. You’ll then want to let the dressed kale sit for a bit while you make the nut & seed mixture so that the veggies soak up all of the flavor.

How to store this apple farro salad

This salad will be delicious over the course of a few days after it marinates in the dressing! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. The nuts will soften a bit over time, so if you’re prepping this salad ahead of time, I’d recommend leaving the nut mixture off until you’re ready to serve.

Our favorite salad tools

• Salad chopper
• Salad spinner
• Mason jars
• Dressing containers
• Serving bowl with tongs
• Meal prep containers

Get more of my favorite kitchen tools here!

More fall salads you’ll love

• Warm Roasted Vegetable Harvest Couscous Salad
• Winter Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
• California Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad
• One Pot Moroccan-Inspired Chickpea Quinoa Salad
• Chickpea Apple Broccoli Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing

Get all of my salad recipes here!

I hope you love this manchego apple kale farro salad! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

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Manchego Apple Kale Farro Salad

4.91 from 10 votes

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

ServesServes 6 servings

Beautiful apple kale farro salad with savory manchego cheese, a light maple cider dressing, and a sweet and salty pecan pumpkin seed crunch topping. This harvest apple farro salad is the perfect lunch or holiday side dish, and a wonderful way to use up fresh fall apples! Make it your way with a boost of protein, even more veggies, and other yummy mix-ins.

Ingredients

• For the dressing
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to sweeten
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced or grated
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Farro
• 3 cups filtered water
• ¾ cup farro, rinsed and drained
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• For the salad
• 6 to 8 cups chopped Tuscan kale
• ½ small to medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large (or 2 medium) honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
• ½ cup dried cranberries (or sub chopped pitted Medjool dates)
• 3 to 4 ounces aged Manchego (or Parmesan cheese), grated
• Pecan and pumpkin seed crunch
• ½ cup raw pecans, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds
• ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

• Cook the farro: In a medium pot, combine the water, farro, and salt and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered and cook until tender, 25 minutes. Transfer to a large sieve, rinse with cool water for 1 minute, then drain and add to a large bowl.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, dijon mustard, garlic, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add a little more maple syrup if you like a sweeter dressing.
• In the same large bowl with the farro, add the shredded kale and red onions then pour dressing over. Use tongs or clean hands to mix everything together for 1 minute. (This helps to break down the kale and potent red onion and evenly distribute the flavor of the dressing.) Allow it to sit and marinate while you make the pecan pumpkin seed crunch.
• To make the pumpkin pecan crunch: Place a medium skillet over medium heat and add pecans and pumpkin seeds. Toast the nuts/seeds, stirring frequently until they turn slightly golden brown and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, then turn off heat and immediately add in maple syrup and a pinch of sea salt. Stir for 30 more seconds to coat the nuts and seeds, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper to cool for a few minutes. Some of the nuts will slightly stick together but this is what we want for the ‘nut crunch’ in the salad. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• In the bowl with the kale, add in the apple, cranberries and grated manchango cheese. Give it a gentle toss, then add extra salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the nut mixture on top and toss again. If you are serving the salad later, I recommend leaving the nut mixture out until you are ready to serve so it stays nice and crunchy. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Feel free to add crispy bacon on top of this at the end for a little protein and salty flavor boost. I’ve also had this with sliced sautéed chicken sausage and it is FABULOUS!

A sharp white cheddar would also be great in this.

If you’d like more veggies, add in 3 to 4 cups of cubed roasted sweet potato or butternut squash.

This is also delicious topped with ½ heaping cup toasted breadcrumbs or some croutons for crunch. Crushed pita chips would be yummy in here too.

To make it dairy-free or vegan: leave out the manchego.

To make it nut free: use extra pumpkin seeds instead of pecans.

To make it gluten-free: omit the farro or swap it for quinoa or a gluten-free short pasta shape.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (based on 6)Calories: 428calCarbohydrates: 39.2gProtein: 10.3gFat: 27.7gSaturated Fat: 6.3gFiber: 6.6gSugar: 17.8g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats