Shortcut Farro Risotto with Tomatoes
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This farro risotto recipe cooks on the stovetop, and includes cannellini beans and tender farro grains submerged in a thick tomato-Parmesan sauce. It’s a fuss-free (no stirring necessary!) version of a classic farrotto, ready to enjoy in about 45 minutes.
This farro risotto with zesty tomato sauce is a streamlined version of traditional risotto made with Arborio rice. Farro, a type of Italian wheat, is the star of this quick and easy risotto flavored with canned tomatoes and white beans, a simple meatless main dish that’s a one-dish crowdpleaser.
Along with easy-to-make farro salad , this is one of my favorite ways to cook farro. I sometimes call this a “cheater risotto” because the recipe breaks a few tenets of authentic risotto-making: That risotto should always be made with short-grain Arborio rice, and be stirred attentively throughout the cooking process, with the gradual addition of liquid. Instead, I bent the “rules” to make this an less fussy dish to throw together.
If you’re new to it, farro is a wonderful whole grain to add to your pantry. It’s an ideal grain to cook risotto-style.
How farro tastes: I would describe the flavor of farro as deliciously earthy, with a nutty flavor. And cooked farro has a texture that’s pleasantly toothsome, kind of like short grain brown rice.
Ingredients for farro risotto
- Pearled or semi-pearled farro: This is the type most commonly found in supermarkets. The kernels have part of the bran removed, which makes it quicker to cook in simple farro recipes.
- Cannellini beans: Home-cooked cannellini beans or canned beans are perfect in this recipe.
- Shallot or yellow onion
- Unsalted butter
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Crushed tomatoes: Opt for canned tomatoes that are packed in puree.
- Parmesan cheese: Grate it on a microplane from a hunk of cheese, or buy it freshly grated.
Recipe steps
Pro shortcut: Instead of constantly stirring as in a classic method, recipes for farro risotto often boil the farro grains separately until they become tender (20-25 minutes). Note that you can cook the farro up to 3 days ahead. Add the pre-cooked grain to the simmered tomato mixture following the recipe.
- Saute onion, garlic, crushed red chili and some thyme.
- Add the tomatoes, cannellini beans and Parmesan cheese and simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked farro. Top with more cheese and serve.
1. Boil farro until tender, then drain. Note that pearled or semi-pearled farro doesn’t take forever to cook in boiling water — about 20 minutes on the stovetop. 
2. Saute onion in olive oil, and add garlic, chili and thyme
3. Stir in the tomatoes, beans and finely grated cheese and simmer. 4. Add the farro and serve.
Shortcut Farro Risotto with Tomatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) farro
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
- 1 shallot or ½ of a yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or grated
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
- 1 15-ounce (400 g) can crushed or chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
- 1 15-ounce can (425 g) cannellini beans, drained
Instructions
- Cook the farro in a large saucepan of boiling water seasoned with 2 teaspoons salt. Cook 20-25 minutes, or when the grains are plump with a slight resistance in the center. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before draining.
- In a 10-12" skillet or sauté pan, add the oil and butter over medium heat. Stir in the shallot and cook until softened (but not browned). Add the garlic, thyme and chili and cook a few seconds until the garlic smells fragrant.
- Stir in the tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ cup of the reserved cooking water Bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the cheese and beans, stirring to incorporate.
- Add the farro to the mixture, stirring gently. Add more of the reserved cooking water if it seems too thick – it should be a little saucy. Generously top the dish with additional cheese and serve.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Cook the farro and keep refrigerated up to 3 days before cooking the shallots and tomato sauce. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water in a separate container, or just add some broth when finishing the dish.
- Leftover risotto will keep up to 5 days. The grains will absorb the the sauce, so add some water or stock to loosen it when reheating.
- For an extra hit of veggies, add some chopped greens (kale, chard, spinach) and let them wilt into to the warm risotto.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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Awesome recipe! I made this last night for dinner. Very good flavor and love the crushed tomatoes blended with the farro and Cannellini beans! Definitely planning to make again and again!! Thank you for sharing!
This is on my list of dishes to make over the holidays!!
This recipe is oh so good! I’ll be making it again.
Making it for the 4th time tonight. Love it!!!
Made this today. Sooooo good I can’t stop eating it!!! Thank you so much!!
How is this the next day? Does it keep OK for leftovers?
oh yum! i love fall recipes…..
This looks so delicious! I love farro.
best,
Alison
Thanks Alison! I hope you’ll enjoy it.
With fall finally in sight, I want this!!! (of course I want it even when fall is not in sight).
This looks great; I am a big farro fan.