The nutty flavors of farro, sweet butternut squash, and an aromatic sage-infused pesto make a perfect autumnal match in this simple fall salad recipe. Farro is an ancient grain commonly found in Tuscany and Abruzzo, where this grain has been cultivated for centuries. This salad is also highly adaptable – add some arugula or spinach to the mix for a lighter take, or double the quantities and make a big batch to eat for lunch throughout the week.

Farro, Butternut Squash & Sage Pesto Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups farro
1 whole butternut squash
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1 cup fresh sage leaves
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt, q.b.

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut the butternut squash in quarters, leaving the skin on. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy parts. (You can save the seeds for roasting!)

Place squash on a baking sheet, skin sides down. Sprinkle with kosher salt and brush the surface olive oil. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until soft enough to pierce with a fork.

Let cool, then remove the skins (they should peel off easily) and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Set aside.

Cook the farro according to the package instructions.

While the farro is cooking, prepare the sage pesto.

Add garlic cloves and walnuts to a food processor and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add fresh sage leaves, parsley leaves, and grated parmesan. Pulse again. Finally, drizzle in extra virgin olive oil and pulse everything together until it begins to form a coarse liquid. Scrape down the sides of the food processor, and pulse a few more times to get everything evenly mixed.

In a large salad bowl, add farro, cubed butternut squash, and sage pesto. Mix together until everything is coated. Taste and adjust with salt as needed.

*For a lighter salad, add arugula or spinach to the mix and use less farro.