What should I serve with this salad?

This grain salad pairs well with all kinds of other recipes! Serving this arugula pesto salad as a side dish ? Pair it with a hearty pasta recipe (we love this spicy tomato pasta , a roasted red pepper pasta bake , or this creamy pesto gnocchi ) or protein (try our honey glazed trout , lemon garlic chicken , some seared tuna , or salmon with strawberry salsa ). Serving this salad as a main dish ? Add a loaf of crusty bread (or small batch bread !) on the side, pair it with our summery farro salad , or whip up some easy herb biscuits .

Should I serve this salad warm or cold?

We typically serve this lemony arugula and white bean salad cold, with cooked farro that has been prepped in advance and refrigerated. But the great thing about grain salads (and bean salads!) is that they work well hot OR cold! If you serve this salad with warm farro , keep in mind that the tender arugula will start to wilt quite quickly. If you don't want wilted greens, you can use kale or spinach instead (similar to our warm sweet potato spinach salad ).

What kind of pesto should I use?

We've tested our pesto dressing recipe with Rao's Homemade Basil Pesto *, DeLallo Simply Pesto* (* = pictured below), and Buitoni Basil Pesto from the grocery store, all with good results! We've also tested this dressing with some of our favorite homemade pesto sauce recipes, including: - Arugula Pesto - Garlic Scape Pesto - Cilantro Pesto - Pea Pesto - Leftover dill pesto from this carrots and labneh dish Keep in mind that different types of pesto can vary widely in flavor and thickness. Use this dressing recipe as a jumping-off point, then add extra lemon, olive oil, salt, or pepper and adjust as necessary to suit your tastes and achieve the right consistency.

Can I make a creamy dressing instead?

Yes! For a creamy pesto dressing, add a tab of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt to the vinaigrette. Adding a creamy product will give you a slightly thicker dressing; you may need to add an extra splash of lemon juice or olive oil to achieve a drizzle-able consistency.

Arugula Farro Salad with White Beans and Pesto

Description

This hearty arugula bean salad is quick to make and easy to customize!

Ingredients

Scale

For the pesto dressing:

¼ cup basil pesto
¼ cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed or bottled)
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste

For the salad:

¼ cup farro, uncooked
4 heaping cups fresh arugula
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Cook the farro according to package directions; set aside.
Make the dressing. Add pesto, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of kosher salt to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid. Attach the lid; shake well to combine. Set aside.
Assemble the salad. Add cooked farro, arugula, and drained cannellini beans to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with pesto dressing (you may not need it all) and toss to combine.
Top with shaved parmesan and a few turns of fresh cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

Meal prep tip. Make the farro ahead of time, let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use it (it will last 5-7 days in the fridge). Use warm or cold farro for this salad. You can also make the pesto dressing a few days in advance; store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Additions and substitutions. Use kale, spinach, or mixed greens in place of some or all of the arugula. Swap the parmesan for feta cheese or goat cheese. Add extra toppings (toasted nuts, garlic breadcrumbs, thinly sliced shallot), or your favorite protein (salmon, chicken, hard boiled egg). Swap the basil dressing for a balsamic vinaigrette or lemon dijon dressing.

Serving sizes. As written, this recipe makes 2 large main dish servings or 4-6 side salad servings. Nutrition facts (below) have been calculated for 4 side salad sized servings.

This is a very forgiving recipe: Adjust each ingredient to suit your tastes, and feel free to eyeball the measurements.