Recipes Dinner Meat Dishes Sausage Dishes Warm Weisswurst-and-Farro Salad Tender Bavarian white sausage nestles into a fall farro, roasted squash, and tart apple salad with a warm mustard-dressed vinaigrette. By Chris Shepherd Chris Shepherd Chris Shepherd is Food & Wine’s Editor in Chef. In this role he focuses his efforts on cultivating and deepening Food & Wine’s Best New Chef community, and helping steer the BNC mentorship program. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 24, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Christopher Simpson / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen and Christina Daley Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 55 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Cooking the squash before adding the onion and weisswurst gives each ingredient enough time to brown and become tender without overcooking the delicate sausage.Warm whole-grain farro readily takes up the mustardy cider vinaigrette while retaining its appealing nutty chew.Crisp Granny Smith apple, parsley, scallions, and lemon zest balance the mild richness of the weisswurst and sweetness of the roasted squash. Weisswurst, the delicate Bavarian white sausage, is the centerpiece of a warm grain salad thanks to chef Chris Shepherd’s love of sausages from around the world. Traditionally made with veal and pork fat and seasoned with ingredients such as parsley and lemon, weisswurst has a notably soft, fine-textured interior rather than the firm bite and snappy casing of a bratwurst. Here, roasting lightly browns the sausage while warming it through before it is cut into generous pieces. A sharp vinaigrette of apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard ties everything together. Tossing it with the farro while the grains are still warm helps the dressing permeate each kernel. Toasted pecans are optional since the farro already contributes plenty of nuttiness, but they add another layer of crunch, so we always opt for them. Why You Should Store Sausages in the Freezer (and Not the Fridge), According to New Research What is Farro Piccolo? Whole farro retains its bran and germ, giving the ancient wheat grain a hearty chew, nutty flavor, and more texture than pearled versions, which have some or all of the bran removed. Farro Piccolo is especially distinctive because its kernels are notably small, producing a delicate yet satisfyingly springy bite. When cooked, the tiny grains remain distinct while readily absorbing vinaigrettes and pan juices, making Farro Piccolo particularly well suited to warm salads and pilafs. How to Cook Farro Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Cut the butternut squash into consistent 1/2-inch cubes so the pieces become tender at the same rate during their head start in the oven.Expect weisswurst to have a tender, very soft interior without the pronounced snap of a bratwurst; this delicate texture is part of the sausage’s character.Toss the vinaigrette with the farro while it’s still warm, then add the apple and herbs so their crispness and fresh flavors remain distinct. This recipe was developed by Chris Shepherd; the text was written by Breana Killeen. Suggested Pairing Pair this satisfying warm salad with a fragrant old-vine white, such as Monte Rosso Sémillon. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 4 cups water 1/2 cup uncooked whole farro (preferably Anson Mills Farro Piccolo) 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 cup cubed (1/2 inch) peeled butternut squash 10 ounces weisswurst (Bavarian white sausage) (about 4 links) 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup) 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions (about 2 medium scallions) 2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh parsley 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, for garnish (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring 4 cups water, farro, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, until farro is tender, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the type of farro. Drain through a fine wire-mesh strainer. Return farro to saucepan, and cover to keep warm. While farro cooks, toss together squash, sausage, onion, 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Spread squash and onion evenly on a rimmed baking sheet, reserving sausage in bowl. Roast squash and onion until vegetables are beginning to soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Add sausage to baking sheet with squash and onion; stir to combine. Continue roasting until vegetables are tender and browned and sausages are heated through and lightly browned, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer sausage to a cutting board, and slice into 1-inch pieces. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add farro, apple, scallions, parsley, lemon zest, sausage, and squash and onion mixture; toss to combine. Garnish with pecans (if using); serve warm. Make ahead Cook the farro up to two days ahead, and refrigerate it separately in an airtight container. Rewarm the farro gently before tossing with the vinaigrette and remaining ingredients. Store leftover assembled salad, refrigerated, for up to three days. Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.