Vegan Farro, Kale & Mango Salad

This Vegan Farro, Kale & Mango Salad makes an awesome side dish on (Vegan) Taco Tuesday (or any day, for that matter). It’s also a great lunch option.

Farro has quickly become one of our favorite grains. We love the chewy bite and the way that it combines so perfectly with a variety of flavors. As the head chef of our household, I (Kate) especially love how it keeps so well in the refrigerator for a few days, making it a great make-ahead option for quick lunches.

How to Cook Farro for Vegan Recipes

If you’re not familiar with farro, don’t let it scare you off! It is incredibly easy to make and virtually accident-proof. Minimize your chances of having too chewy or too mushy farro by following these simple steps.

1. Remember the ratio 1:3. For every one cup of dried farro that you are cooking, use 3 cups of water.
2. Cook your farro like you’d cook pasta. Bring the water to a boil, add some salt and then stir in your farro. Cook over medium heat.
3. Watch your farro and taste test it to make sure it reaches your desired consistency. You can’t just eyeball it. It will likely take around 20 minutes to finish cooking.
4. Once done, drain in a colander and use in your favorite recipe. If you are making a cold salad (as in this Farro & Mango Salad) or if you are meal prepping for later in the week, rinse with cold water.

How to Make Farro, Kale & Mango Salad

This recipe comes together really quickly and is perfect to make ahead. The flavors mature as it sits in the fridge, so it tastes even better as time goes by. That makes it an awesome option to meal prep for lunches throughout the week. If we are having it as a dinner side dish, I like to make it a day or two ahead of time whenever possible. That’s definitely not necessary though – it will still taste fantastic if you eat it right after you make it.

To make Farro, Kale & Mango Salad, start by boiling 1 1/2 cups of dry farro in 4 1/2 – 5 cups of water, following the tips above.

While the farro cooks, peel and dice one mango and add to a large bowl. Then, dice one red pepper, one red onion, two cups worth of kale and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; add to the bowl with the mango. If desired, dice one small jalapeño pepper and add to the bowl. Season with cumin, salt, pepper and turmeric; set aside.

When the farro is done, rinse with cold water.and stir into the bowl with the mango. Pour in 1/2 cup of your favorite verde salsa and stir to combine. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

I hope you’ll love this farro salad! It’s:

• Quick and easy
• Flavorful
• Nutritious
• Customizable
• Filling
• & Delicious

Farro, Kale & Mango Salad

Quick and easy Farro, Kale & Mango Salad is packed with flavor and the perfect side dish or lunch.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Course Salad, Side Dish

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cup Farro
• 4 1/2 cups Water
• 1 Mango
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Red Onion (small)
• 2 cups Chopped Kale
• 1/4 cup Cilantro
• 1 Jalapeño Pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 cup Verde Salsa

Instructions

 

• Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Stir in Farro and reduce heat to medium. Cook until done, about 20 minutes.
• While the Farro cooks, peel and dice the mango. Add to a large bowl. Then dice the red pepper, onion, jalapeño pepper (if using), kale and the cilantro. Add to the bowl. Stir in the cumin, salt, pepper and turmeric.
• Once the farro is done cooking, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Add to the bowl with the mango.
• Stir in the verde salsa and combine well.
• Refrigerate or serve immediately. Enjoy!

Keyword farro, kale, lunch, make ahead, mango, meal prep, quick, vegan

Notes:

• This recipe can easily be a full meal as is for lunch. If you want to make it a bit more robust and protein packed, add some of your favorite beans. Black beans or kidney beans are great options.
• If you aren’t a fan of kale, you can swap it out with spinach.