I am so excited to partner with Safeway to bring you this delicious holiday side dish recipe. While this post is sponsored, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Cranberry Apple Farro is a super easy side dish that looks impressive and is packed full of flavor! Loaded with cranberries, apples, and walnuts, it makes a mouth watering dish to add to your Thanksgiving menu or to go along with everyday dinners! Everyone will fall in love with this farro salad recipe!
For most holidays, I find the side dishes seem to be everyone’s favorite (they are definitely mine). You definitely need to include this cranberry apple farro as one of the Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes on your menu. It is packed with flavor and a great change from the usual dishes on the Thanksgiving menu.
What is Farro?
I get asked “what is farro” a lot when people hear about or find this recipe!
Farro is a whole grain like quinoa or barely. It looks like a larger version of barley and has a similar texture, although slightly chewier, once cooked. Farro holds up well after cooking so it is perfect for salads, soups and as part of side dishes. Note: Farro is never gluten free.
Where can you buy Farro?
For me, that is my local Safeway store but almost any grocery store will likely carry it. Check near where your store carries rice or other whole grains.
My Safeway is minutes from my daughter’s gymnastics practice and so easy to find everything I need in one easy shopping trip. I am always picking up theOOrganics® and Open Nature® products that, for the Northern Virginia and Washington DC area, are found exclusively at Safeway.
Safeway believes that great-tasting organic food should be available to everyone at a great value so they offer theOOrganics product line which allows shoppers to get items like USDA certified organic chicken or premium grass-fed, free range, and natural beef at a price that works with almost any budget.
You can also findOOrganics items, from spices to juices, on almost every aisle. During a recent trip, I was blown away by all the items available in theOOrganics line and, during our salad preparation, I wanted to incorporate some of them into some new, unique side dishes for my holiday meals.
How to Cook Farro
There are a few different ways to cook farro such as:
- Adding water and bringing to a boil. Then, reducing to a simmer until the grain is soft. You may need to drain off excess liquid from the pan.
- Add farro and water or both to slow cooker. Cook on low for 2-4 hours. Drain off any excess liquid.
- Combine boiling water and farro in a pot with a lid. Transfer to oven and bake.
This cranberry apple farro is the perfect side dish for just about any meal and would go great on your Thanksgiving menu or as part of your holiday feast. It comes together so easily and tastes fabulous thanks to the complimenting flavors of the apples, cranberries, and nuts.
Some of the best Thanksgiving recipes are the side dishes that get served. While I love the traditional ones, my guests also enjoy trying new (or new to them) foods and so I always strive to add something a little out of the ordinary to my list of Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes.
I am so glad I bought extraOOrganics dried cranberries because they had the best flavor and cost less than the brand I used to buy! Simmering the farro in theOOrganics chicken broth, apple juice and mustard give it an extra flavor punch that water just can’t offer.
This cranberry apple farro definitely deserves a place on your holiday menu. It will wow your guests with every bite.
While I buy myOOrganics and Open Nature products at my local Safeway, if you aren’t in an area with Safeway stores, you can find them at all of the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Shaw’s, Star Market, United Express, United and Carrs/Safeway. Visit Safeway.com to find a store near you and to discover more meal prep tips and recipe ideas.
If you loved this apple salad recipe, check out these other great Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes:
- The Best Green Bean Casserole
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash
- Sumac Roasted Carrots with Walnuts
- Loaded Mashed Parsnips
- Creamed Spinach
What you’ll need for this recipe:
If you make cranberry apple farro or any other recipe from the blog, I’d love to hear about your experience. Let me know in the comments or snap a photo and tag it #MySuburbanKitchen onInstagramorTwitter.
Cranberry Apple Farro
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Cranberry Apple Farro is a super easy side dish that looks impressive and is packed full of flavor! Loaded with cranberries, apples, and walnuts, it makes a mouth watering dish to add to your Thanksgiving menu or to go along with everyday dinners! Everyone will fall in love with this farro salad recipe!
Course:Side Dish
Cuisine:Salad
Servings: 8
Calories: 233 kcal
Ingredients
- 1cupchicken broth
- 1cupapple juice
- 1TbspDijon mustard
- 3TbspExtra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2tspsalt
- 1tspHerbs de Provence
- 1/2tspparsley
- 1/4tspground black pepper
- 1cupfarro
- 1/2cupdiced onion
- 1Honeycrisp applechopped
- 2tspminced garlic
- 1/2cupdried cranberries
- 1/2cupchopped walnuts
- 2tspapple cider vinegaroptional
- 2Tbspfresh rosemarychopped
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, combine chicken broth, apple juice, Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, herbs de Provence and parsley to a boil. Stir in farro and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Drain any remaining liquid and transfer farro to serving bowl.
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil in nonstick skillet. Add onions and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add apples and sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add onion mixture to bowl with farro. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Toss with apple cider vinegar if desired. Garnish with chopped, fresh rosemary.
