Learn how to cook farro on the stove, in the instant pot, and with a rice cooker to get perfectly cooked farro every time! Farro is a delicious and nutty ancient grain packed with fiber and protein making it an excellent choice for those following a vegan and plant-based diet.
A few weeks back I was at one of my favorite local vegetarian/vegan restaurants. I ordered their farro salad. It was delicious, hearty, and filling. I wasn’t too familiar with farro, so the next time I was in the aisle of the bulk food section of my local grocery store, I decided to scoop some up, and do some experimenting to find the perfect method to cook farro.
What is farro?
Farro is a whole grain from the wheat family. It is not gluten free. It is said to be an ancient grain, meaning that it has been around for centuries, and remains the same today as it did long ago. Since it is a natural, unaltered, whole grain it is friendly to those who eat a plant-based diet.
Why is farro good for you?
Farro is an excellent nutrition source, great for those on a heart healthy diet. A quarter cup of farro contains 10% of your daily iron allowance, 7g of fiber, 0g of sugar, and 7g of protein, making it an excellent addition to salads, as a side dish, or even as a morning substitute for oatmeal. If you’re looking for a new plant-based protein source farro is one of my favorites.
Where can you buy farro?
You can find farro in the bulk section of many specialty grocery stores. If you do not have a specialty grocer, or bulk section in your grocery store, Nature’s Earthy Choice or Bob’s Red Mill sells packaged farro.
What are the different types of farro?
There are three main types of farro; pearled, semi-pearled, and whole. Depending on the type of farro you purchase the cooking time will vary. Whole farro will need a longer time to cooke, semi-pearled farro a slightly shorter time, and pearled farro the least amount of time.
Do you need to pre-soak farro?
You don’t need to pre-soak farro but it can speed up the cooking time. If you purchase whole farro and you soak the farro overnight it will breakdown the bran and the husk attached to the farro and but your cooking time down to 10 minutes if using the stove top method.
How to Cook Farro Perfectly Every Time
Depending on the type of farro you buy you will need to cook it in a different way to get the best result.
I purchase pearled farro because it requires a shorter cooking time and I’m always looking for ways to save time in the kitchen. Pearled farro has all of the bran and husk removed thus needing less time to cook.
If you purchase whole farro you’ll need to cook it longer because the intact grains need to simmer for a longer period of time to cook thoroughly.
How to Cook Pearled Farro on the Stovetop:
- Bring 2 cups of water, 1 cup of farro, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Drain any access water.
How to Cook Whole Farro on the Stovetop:
- Rinse farro.
- Bring 3 cups of water, 1 cup of farro, and 1 teaspoon of salt to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer.
- Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Drain any access water.
How to Cook Farro in an Instant Pot:
- Rinse pearled farro.
- Add 2 cups of water, 1 cup of farro, and 1 teaspoon of salt to your instant pot.
- Close the lid and turn the vent know to “sealing.”
- Press Manual and turn the time to 10 minutes.
- Drain any access water.
(If using whole farro soak overnight).
How to Cook Farro in a Rice Cooker:
- Rinse pearled farro.
- Add 3 cups of water, and 1 cup of farro to rice cooker
- Cook for 45 minutes.
(If using whole farro soak overnight).
Mediterranean Farro Salad
Now that you know how to cook farro perfectly every time, here’s a refreshing and hearty Mediterranean Farro Salad recipe that is perfect as a vegan main dish and an excellent source of protein. Made with hearty farro, crunchy peppers, sweet cherry tomatoes, refreshing herbs, and a light balsamic vinaigrette.
Ingredients in Mediterranean Farro Salad:
- Pearled Farro
- Salt
- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
- 1 green pepper
- 6 scallions
- 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
How to Make Mediterranean Farro Salad – Step by Step
Step 1-Choose your favorite cooking method above to cook your farro. I used pearled farro and used the stovetop method.
Step 2-Dice the pepper, halve the tomatoes, dice the scallions, and finely chop the parsley.
Step 3-Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic. Whisk together with a fork.
Step 4-Remove farro from heat when down. Drain any access water. Allow farro to cool completely. Rinse with cold water to cool more quickly.
Step 5-Combine vegetables, herbs, and farro in a large bowl. Pour balsamic vinaigrette over the salad and stir to thoroughly combine. Serve cold.
Mediterranean Farro Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup pearled farro
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pint organic cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 organic green pepper diced
- 6 scallions chopped finely chopped finely
- 1 cup organic flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Combine water, farro and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain any access water, and transfer to a bowl to cool. You can rinse the farro with cool water to cool more quickly.
- While farro is cooking, chop the cherry tomatoes, green pepper, scallions, and parsley.
- Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and chopped garlic in a small bowl. Whisk with a fork to combine into a vinaigrette.
- When farro has cooled combine with the vegetables, and toss with the vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER EASY SALAD RECIPES!
If you’ve tried my Mediterranean Farro Salad Recipe or given my “How to Cook Farro” instrctions a try, please rate and let me know how it turned out. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more plant-based family recipes your whole family will enjoy!
Betty M.
Easy and so good.
Beth Neels
I had never cooked farro before and my family had never eaten it, but, following your recipe, it cam out perfectly and we all loved it! Thanks!
Tara
I love farro as a change of pace from rice. The fresh veggies in this are lovely!
Kushigalu
One of my favorite. Looks so flavorful. Thanks for sharing all the tips and tricks.
Beth Pierce
I am loving this recipe so much! Perfectly flavored; easily a new favorite dish!
Tara
I have never cooked farro before! I love all the different methods you provided. Definitely need to try it with the rice cooker.