You'll love this nutrient-packed Beet and Emmer Salad. Earthy beets combine with vibrant pops of jewel-like pomegranate arils, sweet oranges, fennel and mint. It's all tied together with a delicate Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette.
Winter food can feel stodgy - lots of roasted vegetables and meats, stews. But this salad is a whole new take on winter vegetable recipes: vibrant, bright and intensely fresh.
It takes a little advanced planning. As a grain, emmer benefits from soaking over night so it cooks up plump and soft. But, beyond that extra bit of planning, it comes together quickly.
Why You'll Love It
It's a nutrient powerhouse. Pomegranates, beets and oranges are packed with polyphenols while you'll get a good dose of fiber from the emmer.
The salad is intensely fresh when most winter dishes can be heavy.
Perfect for meal planning or potlucks, the salad lasts for a few days in the fridge. The flavors marry and deepen.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Emmer, also known as farro medio, is an ancient variety of wheat with a rich nutritional profile. It has a beautiful nutty flavor and chewy texture. Einkorn and spelt are good substitutes for emmer, but if you're gluten-free, you might consider red rice.
Shredded raw beets are the foundation of the salad, providing its bulks. Raw beets tend to have a milder flavor than roasted, and work well in salads.
Fennel provides a delicate sweetness and a good dose of crunch.
Oranges and pomegranates provide sweetness and acidity. These winter fruits pair well with both savory and sweet dishes.
Fresh mint adds brightness and color. If you dislike mint or don't have any on hand, then tarragon, parsley and even dill work well here.
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Where to Find Emmer
Grand Teton Ancient Grains is our favorite source for organic and regeneratively grown grains.
Their emmer has a beautiful texture, sweet nutty flavor and you can mill it into flour for baking or use it in salads like this one.
Recipe Tips
Soaking emmer (and other grains) does two things. First, it softens the grain making it easier and quicker to cook. Second, soaking grains makes them little easier to digest for some people while improving the body's ability to absorb the grains' minerals.
You can cook the emmer in a pressure cooker (my favorite no-fuss method) or on the stove by boiling it until tender. The pressure cooker takes less time, but you can gauge doneness better when boiling it on the stove.
Shredding the beets is best done in a food processor with the grater attachment or on a mandolin. They provide consistent results and thicker cuts, but you can also use a box grater.
Segmenting the oranges can be a little tricky. You'll need to slice off the peel and pith, then slide your knife through each segment of the orange, separating the flesh from the membrane. If you're short on time, you can
Serving Suggestions
This fiber-rich salad is hearty and satisfying. I usually pair it with a good bean soup or chili. Green Chicken Chili and Bison Chili are both wintertime favorites. Their satisfying meatiness and delicate heat is a good match for the sweet-earthiness of beets and chewy, nutty emmer.
You can also pair it with seared Halloumi cheese or roasted salmon for something lighter.
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Recipe Questions
Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
No. This salad doesn't freeze well. Eat it while it's fresh.
To segment an orange or make orange supremes, cut off the peel and pith (the white stuff), then carefully slice between the membranes to cleanly release the orange flesh.
Pat S. says
I thought that this was very good. I used pre-roasted beets (the ones from costco?) rather than fresh. I also skipped the fennel because I didn't have any. Turned out fine.
ellie says
Absolutely loved this Winter Beet and Emmer Salad—such a bright, nutrient-packed break from heavy winter meals! I soaked the emmer overnight as suggested and cooked it in my pressure cooker for perfect chewiness.
Brenda says
I fell in love with farro. Why do you call it emmer? Bob's Red Mill offers a lovely farro. My husband has gotten enthralled with fennel. He has read how much of a superfood it is. I roasted my beets first with olive oil, salt and pepper and added balsamic at the end. I added crumbled feta and threw in some pistachios. This was lovely. I have shared it with others. Thank you.
Jenny says
Hi Brenda -
Farro is a term that encompasses three separate grains: Farro Grande (Spelt), Farro Medio (Emmer), and Farro Piccolo (einkorn). I use the term “emmer” because it is specific, as “farro” is non-specific.