I’ve always lived in the suburbs, so a trip to a cool local salad spot and getting a $20 salad or grain bowl hasn’t ever been an option. And maybe that’s a good thing, because we’ve created the perfect autumn grain bowl to enjoy right at home. With kale, roasted sweet potatoes, farro, chopped apples, goat cheese, bacon, and pistachios all tossed in a maple mustard vinaigrette, you’d think you got these autumn grain bowls from a fancy salad bar. The nice thing about a grain bowl like this is you can add extra ingredients in if you want or are trying to use up some leftovers. Toss in some leftover roasted brussels sprouts, a few handfuls of arugula, pomegranate arils, leftover cooked quinoa, grilled chicken, or anything else that sounds good. The maple mustard vinaigrette pulls everything together for an option that’s delicious for lunch or to make in advance to enjoy for a few lunches during the week. It’s a recipe full of fall ingredients and a delicious lunch option.
Ingredients for Autumn Grain Bowls
- Kale
- Sweet potatoes
- Apples
- Bacon
- Goat cheese
- Farro
- Pistachios
- Vinaigrette ingredients: maple syrup, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper.
How to Make Autumn Grain Bowls
- These grain bowls have several components, but a lot of them can be prepped at the same time. First, peel and chop your sweet potatoes and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, using your hands to toss to combine. Place them in the oven to roast, using a spatula to flip every 10-15 minutes or so to make sure they cook evenly.
- While the potatoes are cooking, cook your farro according to package directions. Some stores, like Trader Joe’s have a quick-cooking options, others take longer. Follow the directions on your package to cook one cup of dried farro.
- Next, chop and cook your bacon. While everything is cooking, strip your kale from the stems and chop it. Place the kale in a large bowl.
- Finally, chop your apple and pistachios and prepare your dressing. Pour half the dressing over the kale and use your hands to massage it in. This tenderizes the tougher kale.
- Assemble your bowls by adding some of the kale, sweet potatoes, farro, apple, and bacon into a bowl. This recipe makes enough for two very large bowls or three smaller ones. Top with goat cheese and chopped pistachios and drizzle with additional maple mustard vinaigrette.
Questions?
Can I make this in advance? You sure can!! Kale is a heartier green compared to other salad greens, which means it can be dressed and will hold up well for 2-3 days. This is a great option to make in advance to enjoy for delicious lunches.
Can I substitute other ingredients? Of course! Sub farro for another grain like quinoa, sweet potatoes can be subbed for butternut squash, and you can always toss in additional leftover roasted veggies, cooked chicken, or other options that sound good.
- 1 cup dry farro
- 1 bunch flat leaf kale
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple
- 8-10 slices bacon
- 3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- This recipe has a few different components, but they can be cooked all at once to make things easy! First, bring some salted water to a boil and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside
- While the farro is cooking, peel and chop your sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and cook for 35-45 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
- Chop your bacon and put into a skillet to cook until browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Remove the stems from the kale and chop into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Drizzle some of the dressing over the kale and use your hands to massage it into the kale. This tenderizes the kale and makes it extra delicious!
- Assemble your bowls with your kale, roasted sweet potatoes, cooked farro, cooked bacon, and chopped apples. Drizzle with your maple mustard vinaigrette and top with crumbled goat cheese and chopped pistachios. Enjoy!
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