roasted butternut squash farro with kale-walnut pesto

prep: 25 MINUTES | cook: 45 MINUTES | total: 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES | serves 4 TO 6

There is nothing better than comfort food that also happens to be really good for you. The star here is my favorite whole grain: chewy, hearty farro, which has a similar taste and texture as barley. And because I’m all about sneaking greens into meals, I added kale to a bright walnut pesto, which puts the flavor of the dish over the top. I love cozying up to a big bowl of this for dinner in the fall, or I’ll even serve it as a side dish at Thanksgiving gatherings. It always gets rave reviews!

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 6 cups)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

FARRO

2 cups uncooked farro

5 cups vegetable broth

KALE-WALNUT PESTO

2 cups packed stemmed Tuscan or dinosaur kale

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup whole walnuts

1 Roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Arrange the squash cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and season with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the squash is tender. Set aside.

3 Meanwhile, make the farro: In a large saucepan, combine the farro and broth, bring to a boil, and cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, until the farro is cooked and tender, but not mushy. There should still be broth in the pan, even when the farro is done. Drain the farro and return it to the pan.

4 Make the pesto: In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the kale, basil, garlic, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and blend until smooth. With the machine running, slowly stream in the olive oil and blend until the pesto is nice and thick. Stop the machine and add the walnuts. Blend again until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

5 Assemble the dish: Add the squash to the pan with the farro. Drizzle over the pesto and stir until the farro and squash are well coated. Heat over medium-low heat just until the dish is warm. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve.

NOTE: I always make Josh cut the butternut squash, but to save time you can buy it precut at the store. If you want to bulk up the soup, you can add white beans or chicken.