Fall harvest mason jar salad with creamy seed dressing

Crispy, chewy, crunchy, and tender — this colorful autumnal salad has a variety of textures to keep things interesting. The combination of farro, pumpkin seeds, and parmesan cheese provides plenty of savory flavor as well as protein — without meat. Creamy poppy seed dressing brings it all together with less than half the sugar of a store-bought dressing. This salad can be easily doubled.

Fall harvest mason jar salad

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side salad

Ingredients

• ½ cup farro
• ⅛ teaspoon plus a pinch of salt
• 1 cup diced, peeled butternut squash (cut in ½-inch pieces)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing (below)
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
• 3 ounces lacinato kale, ribs removed, leaves very thinly sliced (about 3½ loosely packed cups)
• 4 ounces brussels sprouts (6 to 8 sprouts), root ends trimmed, very thinly sliced (about 1¼ cups)
• ¼ cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons shaved parmesan cheese

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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Place the farro in a strainer and rinse with cold water. Transfer the farro to a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 30 minutes. Return the farro to the strainer to drain any excess water. Spread the farro on a plate and let it cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the butternut squash on top. Drizzle the squash with the oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Toss gently until the pieces are evenly coated. Roast the squash until lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes, stirring the squash halfway through cooking. Let the squash cool completely.
4. To assemble each salad, pour 2 tablespoons dressing into the bottom of a wide-neck quart-size mason jar. Add half of the farro, followed by half of the squash, 2 tablespoons of the pomegranate seeds, half of the kale, half of the brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin seeds, and 1 tablespoon of the parmesan cheese. Repeat with another wide-neck quart-size mason jar and the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. To serve, empty the contents of the jar into a bowl and toss well; serve immediately.

Note: If serving this recipe as a side salad at home, place all the prepared ingredients except for the cheese in a large serving bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.