How to cook farro

Use this simple guide to learn how to cook farro. Also, get the recipe below for my roasted sweet potato farro salad. 

If you’ve never eaten farro – right now is a perfect time to try it. Farro’s texture is chewy and has a rich nutty flavor that compliments spinach, apples, squash, and a variety of herbs. You can either add farro as a side dish or toss it in a delicious fall soup. Use the recipe from this blog post to cook farro for a salad as well. 

Is farro gluten-free

Farro is a type of wheat. Therefore, farro is not gluten-free. If you’re gluten-free then choose another protein alternatives such as quinoa, millet, or buckwheat. 

How to cook farro

This is my first time experimenting with farro. After testing several farro recipes, I’ve found the following method works best for me. Feel free to comment below and let me know if you try this easy method as well. 

Firstly, rinse the farro. Add it to a colander or strainer and rinse with cold water and drain.

Let’s cook farro! Salt a pot of boiling water or vegetable stock and add the farro. Cook until it becomes soft. Boil for less time for al dente texture. Depending on the variation of your farro the cooking time will vary. More info on farro variations below!

Once it’s cooked you’ll drain the farro and transfer the grains to a large sheet pan or large plate. Lay them into a single layer for approximately 15 or 20 minutes until they are dry and room temperature. Once cool, enjoy now or store in an airtight container for later use. 

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Farro tips & tricks

• Let’s talk farro variations. Stores may sell up to 2-3 variations of farro: whole, pearled, or semi-pearled. Cooking times are different for each type. Pearled may cook up to 15 minutes. Whole may cook up to 40 minutes. Semi-pearled may cook up to 20-30 minutes. If you don’t know what type you have – taste every 10-15 minutes until you reach your desired outcome. 
• Once they are cooked it’s very important to lay them onto a sheet pan in a single layer. If not, your farro will keep steaming, this will make them mushy. 
• Storing farro: add them to an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 1 month.
• Get creative! You can eat them as is. But they are even better tossed in a vinaigrette or chimichurri. Either way, you’ll love them. 
• Dress prior to serving: If you want to dress your farro then it’s best to do so right before serving. The flavors won’t hold up for long in the fridge. If you have leftovers, just add a bit of dressing or sea salt, black pepper, oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving. 

Where to buy farro

You can purchase farro at a variety of local grocery stores. However, if you are having a hard time finding them then purchase on Amazon by clicking here. 

Other farro recipes you’ll love:

• Sweet Potato Farro Salad
• Tuscan Farro soup
• Farmhouse farro salad