Featured in the summer section of the 2026 Local Food Guide, this recipe for Rye & Arugula combines some of the best flavors the season has to offer!
Rye & Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup Vilicus Farms’ rye berries, rinsed
- 1 bunch beets, about 3 medium or 5 small
- 1 small shallot, sliced thinly in half moons
- 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 5 cups baby arugula
- 4 oz crumbled goat cheese
- Fresh dill, chopped
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cook rye: Bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add rye and a pinch of salt. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer. Cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the grains are chewy and tender. Drain and set aside.
Steam beets: Trim beet greens to within ½ inch of root top. Scrub beets clean and place in a steamer basket. Place basket in a pot with enough water to cover the bottom of the pot. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and steam until fork tender. Once tender, remove from the pot, cut off the root tops, and cut to desired size. Set aside.
Make the vinaigrette: Cover shallots with sherry vinegar and let sit for at least 10 minutes. Add honey, mustard, and olive oil. Whisk. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble salad: Dress the beets with one teaspoon of the vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper to taste. In a bowl, combine one cup cooked rye berries with the remaining vinaigrette. Toss, taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add arugula to bowl and toss once more. Transfer the dressed rye and arugula to a platter and arrange the sliced beets on salad. Top with crumbled goat cheese and garnish with fresh dill.
This recipe was created by Vilicus Farms. Founded in 2009, Vilicus Farms is a first-generation organic dryland farm in Hill County, Montana. Doug Crabtree and Anna Jones-Crabtree grow 20 organic heirloom and specialty crops under a seven-year crop rotation with integrated grazing. Over a quarter of their land is reserved for wildlife, pollinators, and other living beings who call the Northern Great Plains home. “Vilicus” is Latin for “steward of the land,” reflecting the farms’ commitment to co-creating life. Their practices support biodiversity, reintegrate carbon into the soil, promote ecological harmony, and foster lasting resilience. Visit vilicusfarms.com to learn more.
