This hearty farro bowl recipe is full of Mediterranean flavors! Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, briny olives, and a creamy dressing make a satisfying grain bowl that’s the right meal for summer season or any season.
It’s no secret that bowl meals are a brilliant satisfying, enjoyable approach to eat all of the veggies. Right here’s Alex and my newest in a stream of simple dinner concepts: the hearty farro bowl! It’s our ultimate Mediterranean weight loss plan dinner or lunch, pairing plump grains of farro with tangy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, salty olives, and seasoned chickpeas.
The icing on the cake (er, bowl) is our new innovation: hummus dressing! It’s so easy to make a sauce utilizing hummus, which you will or could not have available. It comes out creamy and bursting with taste with solely 3 components—form of a like a tahini sauce, however even simpler. This one is on repeat in our kitchen: and we hope will probably be in yours!
Substances on this farro bowl recipe
This farro bowl is a spin on a basic grain bowl: a meal constructed round a complete grain, veggies. a sauce, and protein. Now we have recipes for a rice bowl and much quinoa bowl recipes, however that is the primary official farro grain bowl in our recipe library. Listed here are the important components for this farro bowl:
- Farro is a complete grain that can be utilized as an alternative choice to rice, barley or different grains. It’s truly an historic grain that has been eaten for the reason that Roman occasions! We adore it for its chewy texture and nutty taste.
- Recent herbs, olive oil, and garlic: These important components are for flavoring each the farro and the chickpeas. We like to make use of parsley, dill or cilantro.
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas are the plant-based protein right here. You too can use different proteins like tofu, shrimp, or rooster.
- Cucumber, tomato, and Kalamata olives: These Mediterranean-style greens have large, daring taste. Substitute different uncooked veggies if desired!
- Feta cheese: It’s not required (omit for vegan), however feta provides a pleasant salty counterpoint to the flavors.
- Greens (optionally available): We used a handful of child arugula, however different greens like spinach, butter lettuce, or romaine work effectively.
- Hummus dressing: One of the best a part of this bowl in our opinion! It’s creamy and irresistible hummus, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Suggestions for the hummus dressing
If you happen to’re making the hummus dressing, be certain that to make use of a high quality model of hummus! We propose steering away from the favored Sabra model: the flavour has a robust chemical aftertaste (presumably because of the citric acid used as a preservative, not less than in response to Reddit).
Regardless of the case, use a hummus model with a creamy, tangy and easy taste. Experiment to discover a model you like.
Variations: sauce and vegetable concepts
This farro bowl is ideal for wholesome dinner concepts or wholesome lunch concepts, and it’s simply customizable to your tastes and dietary wants! It’s form of like making your personal Candy Inexperienced menu (considered one of our favourite restaurant ideas for bowl meals). Listed here are some concepts for various the components:
In fact, you can even range the entire grain, particularly in the event you’re cooking for gluten-free eaters. For gluten-free, use quinoa or rice.
Protein adders
One other approach to customise this farro bowl recipe is with including totally different proteins! It presently makes use of chickpeas as a plant-based protein, however we’ve discovered this typically is just not sufficient for hungry eaters (particularly in the event you’re serving it for dinner). Listed here are just a few protein adders we love:
Storing leftovers and make forward notes
This farro bowl recipe is easy to make forward. You may make the farro as much as 3 days prematurely, the chickpeas as much as 1 to 2 days prematurely (open chickpeas are solely good for as much as 3 days), and the hummus dressing 1 week prematurely. Refrigerate all elements individually. We prompt chopping the contemporary greens straight earlier than serving.
Extra farro recipes
There are such a lot of enjoyable methods to eat farro! This fundamental farro recipe is a superb facet dish, and you can even use it in farro with mushrooms, farro salad, or farro soup.
Incessantly requested questions
Farro is an historic grain with a chewy texture and nutty taste. It’s full of fiber and protein, making it a hearty and satisfying base for this bowl. It additionally holds up effectively when blended with different components, so your bowl gained’t get soggy.
Completely! If you happen to can’t discover farro or wish to strive one thing totally different, you’ll be able to substitute it with quinoa, brown rice, barley, and even couscous. Simply alter the cooking time accordingly.
Sure, you’ll be able to! The farro and chickpeas might be cooked prematurely and saved individually within the fridge. The dressing can be ready forward of time. Assemble the bowls simply earlier than serving to maintain the greens contemporary and crunchy.
Be happy to get inventive! You may add different greens like roasted pink peppers, grilled zucchini, or chopped kale. You too can swap the feta for goat cheese or omit it for a vegan possibility. Experiment with totally different herbs and spices to alter up the flavour profile.
Description
This hearty farro bowl recipe is full of Mediterranean flavors! Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, briny olives, and a creamy dressing make a satisfying grain bowl that’s the right meal for summer season or any season.
For the farro
- 1 cup raw farro, pearled or semi-pearled (not entire)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped contemporary herbs (parsley, dill or cilantro)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
For the bowl
- 15-ounce can chickpeas
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon every cumin and coriander
- ¼ teaspoon every smoked paprika and onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 English cucumber, chopped
- 1 handful olives, sliced in half
- 1 handful child greens (like arugula)
- Feta cheese, to serve (optionally available)
Hummus Dressing
- ½ cup prime quality hummus (keep away from Sabra)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (extra water if obligatory)
- Rinse the farro beneath chilly water in a superb mesh strainer. In a big saucepan, place the farro, 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and produce it to a boil. Scale back the warmth to a simmer, cowl, and prepare dinner till the grains are tender, about 15 to twenty minutes for pearled farro and 25 to half-hour for semi-pearled farro. Style take a look at a grain to see whether it is tender (if the package deal is unmarked, simply prepare dinner till tender). Drain any extra water. Add the extra ¼ teaspoon salt and olive oil or butter. Stir within the minced garlic and herbs. Style and add further salt if desired.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Mince the garlic. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, onion powder, and salt. In a big skillet, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute till aromatic however earlier than it browns. Add the chickpeas, spices, salt, and a number of other grinds of black pepper. Cook dinner 2 minutes till warmed by.
- Make the hummus dressing by mixing collectively the components in a medium bowl. Style and if desired, you’ll be able to add a pinch or two of salt or sugar.
- Place the inexperienced in a shallow bowl (if utilizing), then the farro, tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, and olives. Prime with feta cheese, if utilizing, and drizzle with hummus dressing.
- Class: Essential dish
- Technique: Stovetop
- Delicacies: Mediterranean
- Weight-reduction plan: Vegetarian