Simple, seasonal, & easy. This side dish is a great way to get whole grains and greens in a flavorful and easy way. A few key ingredients and steps, like toasting the sliced almonds, roasting garlic, & toasting the farro before cooking add a depth of flavor that really makes this side dish something you’ll look forward to. It’s also great for leftovers!
While you could use other hearty greens for this recipe, I love the Swiss chard for its color, flavor, and nutrition. See my previous post just highlighting Swiss chard for more reasons why you should try it out!
Farro with Caramelized Swiss Chard & Toasted Almonds
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2-4 cups cooked farro (see here)
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1 bunch swiss chard, cut into thin 1/4’’ ribbons
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1/2 vidalia onion, sliced thinly
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4 cloves of roasted garlic, minced (you can use minced raw garlic too)
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extra virgin olive oil
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1/4 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 375 to toast almonds. When oven is ready, spread out almond slices on a large baking sheet (with no oil) and bake until golden, about 5-7 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over low to medium heat. Generously coat bottom of pan with olive oil. Once hot, add in swiss chard, onion, and garlic. Saute, stirring occasionally, until swiss chard is darker in color and quite wilted, about 15 minutes. While you can cook over a higher heat to speed up the process, I think results are best with a bit of patience and lower heat.
Place swiss chard in a large bowl and toss in farro and almonds. Season lightly with sea salt.