Lentil and Farro Salad

This salad is all about the smoked paprika.

Smoked paprika makes the heavens open up and sing rap songs. It adds heat and depth. It adds smoke. Duh.

In this salad, smoked paprika does the tango with luscious chunks of salt-creamy feta, chewy lentils and farro, crispy-cool cucumbers, pick-of-the-season peppers and tomatoes, briny olives, and, best of all, fresh parsley and mint.

I take it back, this salad is actually all about the mint with that smoked paprika. It’s a mouth-twistingly, lip-smacking, positively heady combination of flavor.

Even Mr. Hausfrau liked it. He shocked me. He shocked himself.

And since it IS summer, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about how well this keeps and how easy it travels, and blah blah blah.

I’m kinda starting to sound like a broken record, so I’m officially stuffing my pie hole full of this grainy concoction RIGHTNOW.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Lentil and Farro Salad

1/2 cup (dry weight) black lentils
1/2 cup (dry weight) farro
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup orange or yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup cucumber, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/3 cup feta cheese

Cook the lentils and farro according to package instructions and allow both to cool completely.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika until thick and emulsified.
Add the cooled lentils, farro, onion, pepper, tomato, cucumber, parsley and mint to the bowl. Toss until well-combined and evenly coated with the dressing.

Sprinkle with the feta and toss gently. Serve or keep refrigerated in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days.

Serves 6-8