I know what you are thinking. You see the title, Stir Fried Farro and Brussels Sprout Bowl, and you are scratching your head. But I promise you, you will be blown away by this salad! It’s full of good-for-you ingredients that also happen to taste pretty great together.
In a wok over high heat with a very small amount of oil, I begin by frying the red onion and Brussels sprouts. If you prefer to “water fry” instead of using oil, you’ll need that heat high, a very good non-stick pan and use the least amount of water possible so as to fry and not to steam. Use the water when you begin cooking and then only when need to keep it from sticking. I plan on offering more water or broth cooking options for those of you who are requesting oil-free alternatives.
I sliced fresh Brussels sprouts pretty thin because we want them to get crispy-ish. Crisp-tender to be precise.
Next up are chopped walnuts, dried cranberries that I soaked first in boiling water for 10 minutes and also a bit of minced garlic.
What makes this salad special is the pre-cooked farro which, when stir fried, transforms into something pretty amazing. I always make extra for the next days meal.
Now that the sprouts, onions, nuts and cranberries have gotten browned edges, it’s time for that farro. Add this last because the farro is already cooked. We need to just heat it through and get a bit of color on the grains.
I decided to add roasted half rings of acorn squash to my salad. Good choice! They are seasoned simply with salt and pepper. A light brushing of oil keeps them from both drying out and sticking. Again, oil is optional here. You could steam these instead.
To bring it all together, a drizzle of balsamic glaze which is nothing more than balsamic vinegar (with or without sugar) that has been reduced by half in a saucepan over medium heat. It becomes a thick, syrupy glaze and provides a really colorful and flavorful dressing for this salad.
The last little touch (which is optional) was a sprinkling of vegan parmesan (or nutritional yeast) on the squash.
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If you’ve made this Stir Fried Farro and Brussels Sprout Bowl, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below.
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Stir Fried Farro and Brussels Sprout Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Oil
- 1/4 c Red Onion thinly sliced
- 8 oz Brussels Sprouts thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp Walnuts chopped
- 2 tbsp Dried Cranberries pre-soaked in hot water for 10 minutes to plump
- 1 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 c Cooked Farro
- 2 tbsp Parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp Vegan Parmesan or Nutritional Yeast
- Balsamic Glaze OPTIONAL (see recipe note)
- Salt + Pepper to taste
- 1 medium Acorn Squash halved and sliced
Instructions
- Prepare farro according to package directions. You can even prepare this a day ahead as I did.
- Roast acorn squash slices at 400 degrees with a brush of oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and caramelized.
- In a cup of hot or boiling water, soak the cranberries. Drain and set aside.
- In a large saute pan or wok over medium to high heat, add the oil, red onion and sliced brussels. Cook for about 4 minutes or until crisp tender.
- Add the walnuts, drained cranberries and minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add the cooked farro and stir fry until heated through and a little golden.
- Remove from heat and add chopped parsley.
- Serve with acorn squash slices, a sprinkling of vegan parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.