15 Fabulous Farro Recipes for Your Plant-Based Dishes

Farro is an ancient grain that has grown in popularity, recently. The word farrow describes three types of wheat grain- spelt, einkorn, and emmer, and is Italian for ‘ancient wheat grain’! As a result, farro is unsuitable for those who are allergic to wheat or gluten-intolerant.

If you can enjoy farrow, then you can reap its many benefits. It’s a great source of protein and is rich in some of the B vitamins as well as zinc and magnesium.

Farro is a wonderful substitute for rice, quinoa, or barley, so would work well in any of your favorite recipes that include these. But, if you are looking for something different, here are 15 OGP recipes that feature fabulous farro.

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy! And, don’t forget to check out our Bean Archives!

1. Farro and Bean Soup

Source: Farro and Bean Soup

This is a comforting, warming, and flavorful Farro and Bean Soup by Taavi Moore. It’s filled with warming spices, vegetables, hearty beans, and farro.

2. Farro Risotto

Source: Farro Risotto

Farro looks like a cross between brown rice and barley and has a nutty taste and a chewy texture. The grain is a complex carbohydrate and a healthy substitute for rice or pasta. It’s high in fiber and protein and a good source of magnesium, manganese, zinc, and iron. It’s also an excellent source of B Vitamins and it helps boost your immune system, regulate blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol. Move aside, quinoa, farro is the superhero grain, and it works super well in this recipe for Farro Risotto by Julie Zimmer.

3. Grapefruit Grain Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

Source: Grapefruit Grain Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

This Grapefruit Grain Salad with Roasted Chickpeas by Medha Swaminathan incorporates fresh grapefruit in the dressing, a simple citrusy vinaigrette made with only three ingredients. The vinaigrette is used to marinate the roasted chickpeas and also drizzled over the salad, to keep the grapefruit flavor present throughout. The base for this grapefruit grain salad is farro and cilantro. The ratio of herbs and grains makes this salad a bit like a tabbouleh.

4. Beet and Farro Salad

Source: Beet and Farro Salad

This Beet and Farro Salad by Annie Kimmelman is vibrant, and nutritious, and features delicious winter flavors such as pomegranate, walnuts, and of course beets and farro grains over a bed of arugula and baby kale. The dressing is made up of cashew butter, beet powder, and a squeeze of lemon.

5. Sauteed Mushroom Farro

Source: Sauteed Mushroom Farro

This simple recipe for Sauteed Mushroom Farro by Maggie Jones makes for a comforting entree or a hearty side. Sauteed mushrooms, nutty farro, and fragrant thyme come together quickly for a healthy dish that will warm you up on a chilly day!

6. Farro, Arugula and Cantaloupe Salad

Source: Farro, Arugula and Cantaloupe Salad

A colorful seasonal salad made with farro, arugula, and cantaloupe! Served with a lemon-based walnut oil vinaigrette, this Farro, Arugula and Cantaloupe Salad by Julie Zimmer bursts with flavors. It is a healthy meal or side dish.

7. Kale Salad With Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts

Source: Kale Salad With Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts

This Kale Salad With Farro, Golden Raisins and Walnuts by Crissy Cavanaugh is such a simple and filling salad! For a gluten-free version, substitute quinoa for farro. Want a lower-carb version? Omit the farro and add more kale!

8. Farro With Spice-Roasted Carrots and Dill-Garlic Tahini Sauce

Source: Farro With Spice-Roasted Carrots and Dill-Garlic Tahini Sauce

Dill is such an underrated herb – but it can’t help but turn heads when it’s added to a lemony, garlicky tahini sauce. It tastes incredible over the whole roasted carrots, which are perfectly spiced with cumin and chili powder and roasted until tender and golden. The farro, with its lovely chewy texture, helps make this Farro With Spice-Roasted Carrots and Dill-Garlic Tahini Sauce by Molly Krebs a meal that’s enjoyable in so many ways.

9. Turmeric Farro With Roasted Vegetables

Source: Turmeric Farro With Roasted Vegetables

This easy 20-minute Turmeric Farro With Roasted Vegetables by Medha Swaminathan combines fiber-rich farro with roasted summer veggies, including mini heirloom tomatoes and zucchini!

10. Lemon-Ginger Farro Salad With Pomegranate and Pistachios

Source: Lemon-Ginger Farro Salad With Pomegranate and Pistachios

This Lemon-Ginger Farro Salad With Pomegranate and Pistachios by Jackie Newgent is filling, seasonal, and so fresh tasting! It has healthy fats and protein from the pistachios that will keep you going for a while. It also has fresh mint and lemon juice that keeps it tasting light and fresh!

11. Slow-Roasted Leeks With Toasted Grains and Pesto

Source: Slow-Roasted Leeks With Toasted Grains and Pesto

This Slow-Roasted Leeks With Toasted Grains and Pesto by Jodi Kay is perfect to kick off this spring season. You’ll love the nutty farro combined with the sweet, slow-roasted leeks. Leeks don’t always get to be the centerpiece of your dish, but in the spring months when they are thin and tender and such a beautiful green, they are worth the spotlight. Here, roasted leeks and toasted grains are served with a spicy, nutty walnut cauliflower pesto. Leftovers make a great lunch the next day and the pesto can be kept covered in the fridge for a few days.

12. Farro Mujadara: Middle Eastern Lentils and Grains

Source: Farro Mujadara: Middle Eastern Lentils and Grains

Mujadara is a Middle Eastern dish consisting of lentils cooked with rice and combined with caramelized onions. Instead of rice, this recipe for Farro Mujadara: Middle Eastern Lentils and Grains by Medha Swaminathan uses farro, which provides a nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture. This is a quick, easy, and budget-friendly recipe for comfort food that will sustain your soul as well as your body. The hearty mixture of lentils and farrow is complimented nicely by the onions. All in all, it’s the simple things in life that are the best, and this dish is no exception.

13. Farro and Mushroom Stuffed Squash

Source: Farro and Mushroom Stuffed Squash

This recipe for Farro and Mushroom Stuffed Squash by Lilia Jankowska is simple, healthy, and tasty. You’ll fill your squash with farro, onions, mushrooms, cheddar, and onion. Then, finish the dish off with a little garlic and thyme. You’re left with a dinner that is light, delicious, and satisfying.

14. Black Bean Farro Burger

Source: Black Bean Farro Burger

The texture of farro makes it the perfect base for a veggie burger. Paired with black beans, onions, BBQ sauce, and seasoning, this Black Bean Farro Burger by Celeste Meredith is simple, very satisfying, and super filling. To take this burger up a notch, serve it with a creamy, spicy slaw on top or the side.

15. Mushroom and Kale Farro Salad

Source: Mushroom and Kale Farro Salad

This Mushroom and Kale Farro Salad by Shannon Leparski is refreshing and light, but still filling. The farro provides the bulk of the sustenance while the vegetables sautéed in broth add a delicious flavor, and the pomegranate seeds add a delightful crunch. Enjoy this for lunch or dinner, or make a big batch as a side dish for your next gathering.

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