Salads aren’t known for their keeping qualities, especially when they’re dressed. But we cracked the code on prepping, assembling and even dressing a salad that stays crisp and delicious for up to 5 days — and even gets tastier each day. The key is to use greens that are sturdy, like kale and cabbage, and vegetables that don’t get soggy when dressed, like celery and broccoli. We also added farro for whole-grain nuttiness and hard salami for extra savoriness. Finally, our salad dressing is made by simmering fennel seeds, capers and garlic in rich olive oil and then blending the mixture with red wine vinegar and whole-grain mustard to give each bite of salad a punch of flavor. It’s wonderful solo but also delicious served alongside your favorite main course.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 45 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 45 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch broccoli (about 1 pound), cut into florets
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, stems stripped out, leaves roughly chopped
- 1/4 small head green cabbage (about 4 ounces), thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces hard salami, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the farro and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the farro is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Bring a medium saucepan of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook until it just turns bright green and is still crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to the ice water to stop the cooking process. Wipe the pan clean and return it to the stovetop to use again. Drain the broccoli and add to the bowl with the farro. Add the kale, cabbage, celery, salami and scallions to the bowl and set it aside.
- To make the dressing, add the oil, capers, pine nuts, garlic and fennel seeds to the reserved medium saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and bring the oil to a simmer. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the garlic and pine nuts are golden and the capers are crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the oil mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Add the vinegar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and process until the dressing is emulsified and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables in the bowl. Add the Parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the bowl and toss until everything is well coated. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 308 |
| Total Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 13 g |
| Cholesterol | 22 mg |
| Sodium | 531 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 308 |
| Total Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 13 g |
| Cholesterol | 22 mg |
| Sodium | 531 mg |
Reviews
Yes, I made it 7/4/2024. I had to make two substitutions: used walnuts instead of pine nuts (couldn’t find locally) and canned black olives instead of capers (too pricey). I loved the salad and the dressing. I’d never had farro before and had to go to three groceries before I found it. I love kale, cabbage and broccoli, so it was great. I was leery of the dressing because I am not a huge vinegar fan and I dislike mustard, so I was amazed how much I loved the dressing. I will leave out the salami next time. It was overkill. I will for sure be eating this all week!
We didn’t care for the flavors. And sort of blah. Was hoping to like it to make it worth the effort, time and cost.