Farro Harvest Bowl with Roasted Squash, Apple and Pecan
The peak-fall grain bowl. Chewy farro, sweet caramelized squash, crisp apple, toasted pecan, massaged kale, a bright cider vinaigrette. Hearty, wholesome, and it holds up as leftovers or lunch.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Method
- Grain Bowl
Toss the raw kale with a little of the vinaigrette and a pinch of salt and massage it with your hands for a minute. It goes from tough and bitter to tender and sweet - the one step that turns raw kale into something you actually want to eat in a bowl.
What actually matters here
- Roast the squash until caramelized.
- Massage the kale so it's tender.
- Cider, maple and dijon is the dressing.
Ingredients
Serves 4.
Grain
- 1 1/2 cupsfarro
Roast
- 1delicata or acorn squash
- olive oil
Bowl
- 1bunch kale
- 1apple
- 1/2 cuppecans, toasted
- dried cranberries
Dressing
- cider vinegar
- maple
- dijon
- olive oil
Before you start
- Cook the farro: rinse it, then simmer in a pot of well-salted water (lots of water, like pasta) for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender but still chewy. Drain off the extra water and spread it out to cool slightly.
- Heat the oven to 425F. Slice the squash: delicata doesn't need peeling, just halve it lengthwise, scoop the seeds, and cut into 1/2 inch half-moons (acorn the same, skin stays on). Toss with oil, salt and pepper on a sheet pan.
- Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant, then roughly chop.
Method
- Roast the squash at 425F for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and caramelized brown at the edges. Let it get real color, those edges are the best part.
- Whisk the dressing: about 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp maple, 1 tsp dijon, and a pinch of salt, until it comes together.
- Massage the kale: strip the leaves off the stems and tear into bite-size pieces. Put them in a big bowl with a drizzle of the dressing and a pinch of salt and scrunch with your hands for a minute, until the kale softens, darkens and shrinks. This one step turns tough raw kale into something tender you actually want to eat.
- Add the warm farro, roasted squash, sliced apple, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries to the kale. Pour over the rest of the dressing and toss.
- Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar, then serve warm or at room temperature.
How you know it is right
- The squash is caramelized, the kale tender and glossy, everything evenly and lightly dressed.
How to serve it
It's a full bowl; add white beans or chickpeas for more heft.
If you want it simpler
- Pre-cooked farro; pre-cut squash; bagged chopped kale.
Caramelize the squash, massage the kale, dress it bright. The bowl that tastes like fall.
This dish came from the SEASON plan for September 14 - 20, 2026, alongside nine other dinners and one shopping list.
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Written and tested by Chef Michael Rossi, who has spent thirty years in professional kitchens including Napa Rose, THE RANCH, The Masters at Augusta National, and The Beach Club. Every SEASON recipe is one he has cooked on a real line before it reaches a home kitchen.