🥗 Veggie Glow-Up: The Roasted Vegetable + Farro Power Salad
Skip the limp side salad. This bowl packs smoky veggies, nutty farro, and a punchy lemon dressing that makes your taste buds do cartwheels. Your sad desk lunch? Yeah, it just filed for retirement. 😉
⚡ Quick Snapshot
- 30-minute reality: Roast, toss, devour.
- Star lineup: bell peppers, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, farro, zesty lemon dressing.
- Meal-prep gold: Keeps like a champ—hello, grab-and-go lunches.
- Macro-friendly: Complex carbs, plant protein, healthy fats.
- Flavor explosion: Charred veggies + bright citrus = culinary mic-drop.
🥇 Roast Squad Roll Call
| MVP | Superpower | Why You’ll Dig It |
|---|---|---|
| Bell Peppers | Vitamin C fiesta | Sweet char, eye-candy color |
| Zucchini | Low-cal hero | Soaks up dressing like a sponge |
| Red Onion | Natural sweetness | Adds crunch and purple pop |
| Cherry Tomatoes | Lycopene love | Bursts of juicy acidity |
| Farro | Fiber + protein combo | Nutty chew, keeps you full |
| Lemon Dressing | Tangy brightness | Ties everything together—no drama |
🛒 Ingredient Lineup
- 1 cup dry farro (pearled cooks faster)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
- 1 large red onion, thick wedges
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, whole
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Lemon Dressing
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- Pinch red-pepper flakes (spice rebels unite)
Pro tip: Use a hot sheet pan so veggies start charring the second they hit the metal—max flavor, zero extra effort.
🔥 Sheet-Pan Roast Fest
- Blast the oven to 425 °F (220 °C).
- Cook farro: Simmer in salted water 15 minutes; drain.
- Toss veggies with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a parchment-lined pan.
- Roast 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Veggies should sport tasty brown edges, not a sunburn.
- Whisk dressing while veggies roast—no store-bought snooze sauce.
🌀 Assembly Line (a.k.a. Salad Voltron)
- Combine warm farro + roasted veggies in a roomy bowl.
- Pour dressing over while everything’s still slightly warm; flavors mingle like old friends.
- Toss gently. Nobody likes mashed tomatoes.
- Taste test: Need zip? Squeeze extra lemon. Need salt? Hit it.
- Serve warm or chill for later. Farro doesn’t get soggy, so future you will cheer. 🙂
🎨 Remix Ideas
- Mediterranean Mood: Add feta crumbles + olives.
- Protein Upgrade: Toss in grilled chicken or chickpeas.
- Herb Party: Finish with fresh basil or parsley for garden vibes.
- Crunch Factor: Sprinkle toasted pine nuts or pepitas—texture for days.
💪 Health Perks (Science Lite)
- Fiber Fortress: Farro + veggies keep blood sugar steady—bye, 3 p.m. crash.
- Antioxidant Army: Bell peppers, onions, tomatoes fight free radicals like Marvel extras.
- Healthy-Heart Fats: Olive oil ups HDL (the good guy).
- Vitamin C Surge: Lemon + peppers boost immunity, so sniffles stay away.
❓ Rapid-Fire FAQ
Can I swap farro?
Yep. Quinoa or brown rice works, but farro’s chewy bite wins IMO.
Meal-prep friendly?
Absolutely. Portion into containers; lasts 4 days in the fridge. Add extra dressing day-of for shine.
Gluten-free option?
Choose quinoa—problem solved. 🙂
Serve hot or cold?
Both rock. I love it warm in winter, chilled straight from the fridge in July.
Kid-approved?
Roast veggies till sweet, skip chili flakes, and call it “rainbow rice.” Works 9/10 times.
🔚 The Final Forkful
Roasted Vegetable & Farro Salad checks every box: bold flavor, simple method, serious nutrition, and zero boring bites. Make a batch tonight, stash leftovers, and watch your weekday lunches level up faster than your phone’s battery drains. So yeah, quit doom-scrolling recipes and give this beauty a whirl—you’ll thank yourself later. 😎
