How to Make This Salad with Whatever You’ve Got
Even if we’re fortunate enough to have fresh produce, we’re all still making meals out of what we have on hand. Here are a few ideas for ingredient substitutions.
The whole grain: The farro adds chew and substance to this salad, helping to keep you full. Replace it with 1 cup cooked whole grain of your choosing — brown rice, barley, bulgur, freekeh, or quinoa. Consider making a big batch at once, then using it to make quick work of stir-fries, soups, and salads throughout the week.
The acid: For extra tang and complexity, this salad dressing is made with two kinds of acid: lemon zest and juice, and red wine vinegar. Feel free to use one or the other, or if you don’t have either, replace them with lime zest and juice, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
The alliums: Although garlic adds a subtle spicy kick to the dressing, feel free to omit it (or replace it with green garlic). Replace the shallot with half a red onion or a few scallions.
The veggies: Spicy radishes, plump snap peas, and crisp romaine all deliver crunch. Try replacing them with any combination of shaved fennel, snow peas, celery, edamame, shredded red or green cabbage, radicchio, or iceberg.
The herbs: The dried oregano in the dressing can be replaced with dried Italian seasoning or dried thyme. The fresh dill can be replaced with any tender, leafy herb you have (think: parsley, cilantro, or basil).
Whether you eat plant-based full-time or want to go meat-free once a week, Tonight We Veg will bring you the feel-good vegetarian meals you crave. Once a month, in addition to our existing lineup of great veggie recipes, we’ll share easy weeknight recipes that prove how diverse produce-forward food can be, each packed with smart tips we’ve picked up over the years. Cook along with us, and share your creations using #tonightweveg.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup farro
- 6 cups water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 medium lemon
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 ounces feta cheese
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
- 6 small radishes
- 4 ounces sugar snap peas
- 1 medium avocado
- 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh dill
- 1 large or 2 small romaine lettuce hearts
Instructions
- Cook the farro: Place 1/2 cup farro in a fine-mesh strainer, rinse under cool running water, and set aside to drain. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the farro and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Boil until the farro is tender but has a slight chew in the center, 10 to 15 minutes for pearled and 25 to 30 minutes for semi-pearled. Drain thoroughly, spread out onto a rimmed baking sheet or transfer to a metal bowl, and refrigerate to cool. Meanwhile, make the marinade.
- Make the marinade: Place 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Finely grate the zest of 1 medium lemon into the bowl (about 2 teaspoons zest). Juice 2 tablespoons lemon juice into the bowl. Add 2 teaspoons dried oregano, the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, and several grinds black pepper, and whisk to combine.
- Prep the following ingredients, adding each one to the marinade as you complete it: Halve and thinly slice 1 small shallot (about 1/3 cup). Finely chop 1 garlic clove. Cut 4 ounces feta into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Toss to coat everything and set aside to marinate while you prep the rest of the salad, at least 20 minutes.
- Make the salad: Prep the following ingredients, adding each one to a large bowl as you complete it: Trim and thinly slice 6 radishes (about 3/4 cup). Remove any tough strings from 4 ounces sugar snap peas (1 1/2 cups) and slice each in half diagonally. Dice 1 avocado (about 1 cup). Chop until you have 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh dill. Chop 1 large romaine heart crosswise into thin strips (2 cups). Add the cooled farro and toss to combine.
- Pour the feta and chickpea mixture and all of the marinade into the bowl with the vegetables and gently toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil as needed.
