A delicious blend of peppery arugula, hearty farro, creamy avocado, sweet and bright strawberries, tangy goat cheese, and crunchy walnuts with a sweet, tangy poppy seed dressing makes for the perfect healthy, summer salad.
This salad was inspired by a salad my mom used to make all the time. A favorite of mine!
It was a strawberry salad with a rich and creamy poppy seed dressing. Growing up, I actually wasn’t a huge fan of salads (unless it had copious amounts of ranch and cheese….so not exactly healthy or really a salad). As I matured and learned to eat a healthier, balanced diet, I started to really love salads and how fresh and versatile they can be. I also learned they can be delicious and not involve ranch or crazy amounts of cheese. Salads are now a staple in my diet and I truly love them!
My mom’s strawberry poppyseed salad helped me make that transition into the salad lover’s club. It was made with romaine lettuce, strawberries, red onion, mandarin oranges, and walnuts. Plus, it has this sweet and tangy poppy seed dressing that was to die for! It was a huge transition from my typical cheesy, ranch laden salad choice!
Any time we had guests over or a nice meal, we would make this salad. It was always the most popular dish at any party! It was just so bright and flavorful, plus easy to make and relatively healthy (the dressing did have a lot of sugar and mayo though…but don’t worry I lightened it up in my version, details below).
When I saw fresh, ripe strawberries on sale at the grocery store (a fact that does usually motivate my meal plans), I was inspired to re-create my mom’s salad. I made a few minor changes to make the dish healthier and add some more of my favorite flavors (heeelllooo goat cheese). I know my mom would approve of the makeover and love this my new rendition!
Let’s get to preparing this dish!
To make this salad a complete meal instead of just a side, I wanted to add some more starch and protein to the salad.
Bob’s Red Mill sent me an amazing package of some of their products, which included farro. The lightbulb went off and I knew farro would be the perfect addition to the salad.
What is farro you may be asking yourself??
Well, farro is an ancient whole grain, similar to buckwheat or quinoa. It has nice hearty chewy texture and nutty flavor. It’s an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients like magnesium and iron. It’s a healthy, tasty addition to the salad to make it a filling, wholesome meal. I also prefer it to quinoa or other grains in a salad because it does have a chewy more substantial texture that makes it more noticeable and filling in a salad.
I also lightened up the dressing quite a bit. So no more mayo or white sugar. But don’t worry, it’s still packed with flavor. Instead, I used greek yogurt and honey to add tang and sweetness. To balance out the flavors, I used fresh orange juice and rice wine vinegar. It makes for a very flavorful dressing that is sweet, tangy, acidic and bright. It really shines in this salad.
Also, paired with the goat cheese in the salad, the greek yogurt dressing mimics the creamy, fatty mayo version of the dressing, without nearly as much fat and calories.
To make the dressing, you just need to whisk together the greek yogurt, dijon dressing, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, honey, and water until smooth. Then add salt and pepper, to taste. Finally, stir in the poppy seeds.
Let’s not forget the true star of this salad though. The humble strawberry. 🍓 I mean it is called a strawberry farro salad! The strawberries are perfectly sweet and juicy, so add this beautiful bright pop of flavor to the dish. They also help marry all the other ingredients together.
Sadly, strawberry season is quickly coming to an end (as is summer, insert sad face w/ tear drop). So it’s time to use up this delicious berry before it’s hard to find in the grocery store at a reasonable price!
Time to assemble this salad. A huge plus to this salad is it is very easy to put together.
I like to toss the arugula and farro with the dressing in a large bowl first. Then I add the dressed grains and green to a plate and top with the strawberries, avocado, walnuts, and goat cheese. It makes for a pretty presentation and a uninformed bite.
This salad is as tasty as it is beautiful. The strawberries and avocado give it a bright pop of color that makes for a great visual presentation (which means perfect party salad!)
The flavors do not disappoint either. It’s a great blend of peppery arugula, hearty farro, creamy avocado, sweet and bright strawberries, tangy goat cheese, and crunchy walnuts with a sweet, tangy poppy seed dressing.
It is truly the perfect healthy, summer salad. You need to make this while summer is still here!
Strawberry Farro Salad with Greek Yogurt Poppyseed Dressing
A delicious blend of peppery arugula, hearty farro, creamy avocado, sweet and bright strawberries, tangy goat cheese, and crunchy walnuts with a sweet, tangy poppy seed dressing makes for the perfect healthy, summer salad.
Ingredients
Greek Yogurt Poppyseed Dressing
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- Juice of half an orange
- 3 tablespoons rice wine or apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
Farro Salad
- 1/2 cup cooked farro I used Bob’s Red Mill
- 1/2 cup diced strawberries
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 cup arugula
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon goat cheese
- Desired amount of dressing
Instructions
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To make dressing, whisk together all the ingredients (except poppy seeds and S&P) until well incorporated and smooth. Add a pinch of S&P, taste, and adjust as needed. Add and stir in the poppy seeds. Pour into an airtight container and set aside.*
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To make the salad, add divide the arugula, farro, strawberry, walnuts, avocado, and goat cheese between two plates. Drizzle with dressing and a crack of pepper.
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Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
There will be plenty of extra dressing and it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
