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 proper meal for summer season or any season.
It’s no secret that bowl meals are an excellent satisfying, enjoyable solution 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 my supreme Mediterranean eating regimen 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 my new innovation: hummus dressing! It’s so easy to make a sauce utilizing hummus. It comes out creamy and bursting with taste with solely 3 components—type of a like a tahini sauce, however even simpler. This one is on repeat in our kitchen: and I hope will probably be in yours, too!
Components on this farro bowl recipe
This farro bowl is a spin on a traditional grain bowl: a meal constructed round a complete grain, veggies. a sauce, and protein. Over time I’ve created recipes for rice bowls and much quinoa bowl recipes, however that is the primary farro grain bowl! Listed here are the important components for this farro bowl:
- Farro is a complete grain that can be utilized as a substitute for rice, barley or different grains. It’s really an historical grain that has been eaten because the Roman occasions! I really like 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 may as well use different proteins like tofu, shrimp, or rooster.
- Cucumber, tomato, and Kalamata olives: These Mediterranean-style greens have huge, daring taste. Substitute different uncooked veggies if desired!
- Feta cheese: It provides a pleasant salty counterpoint to the flavors (omit for vegan).
- Greens (optionally available): I used a handful of child arugula, however different greens like spinach, butter lettuce, or romaine work properly.
- Hummus dressing: It’s creamy and irresistible, made with hummus, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Ideas for the hummus dressing
For those who’re making the hummus dressing, ensure 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 (probably because of the citric acid used as a preservative, a minimum of based on Reddit).
Regardless of the case, use a hummus model with a creamy, tangy and easy taste. Experiment to discover a model you’re keen on (one in all my favorites is Esti hummus).
My favourite sauce and vegetable variations
This farro bowl is ideal as a wholesome dinner thought or wholesome lunch thought, and it’s simply customizable to your tastes and dietary wants! It’s type of like making your individual Candy Inexperienced menu (one in all my favourite restaurant ideas for bowl meals). Listed here are some concepts for various the components:
After all, you too can differ the entire grain, particularly when you’re cooking for gluten-free eaters. For gluten-free, use quinoa or rice.
Add protein to make it a primary dish
One other solution to customise this farro bowl recipe is with including completely different proteins! It at the moment makes use of chickpeas as a plant-based protein, however we’ve discovered this typically just isn’t sufficient for hungry eaters (particularly when 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 straightforward to make forward. You may make the farro as much as 3 days upfront, the chickpeas as much as 1 to 2 days upfront (open chickpeas are solely good for as much as 3 days), and the hummus dressing 1 week upfront.
Refrigerate all elements individually. I prompt chopping the contemporary greens immediately earlier than serving.
Continuously requested questions
Farro is an historical 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 properly when blended with different components, so your bowl received’t get soggy.
Completely! For those who can’t discover farro or need to strive one thing completely different, you possibly can substitute it with quinoa, brown rice, barley, and even couscous. Simply regulate the cooking time accordingly.
Sure, you possibly can! The farro and chickpeas could be cooked upfront and saved individually within the fridge. The dressing will also be ready forward of time. Assemble the bowls simply earlier than serving to maintain the greens contemporary and crunchy.
Be at liberty to get inventive! You’ll be able to add different greens like roasted crimson peppers, grilled zucchini, or chopped kale. You may as well swap the feta for goat cheese or omit it for a vegan choice. Experiment with completely different herbs and spices to vary up the flavour profile.
Farro Bowl
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 proper meal for summer season or any season.
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Cook dinner Time: quarter-hour
- Complete Time: half-hour
- Yield: 4 1x
- Class: Most important dish
- Methodology: Stovetop
- Delicacies: Mediterranean
- Food plan: Vegetarian
For the farro
- 1 cup raw farro, pearled or semi-pearled (not complete)
- 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 below chilly water in a tremendous mesh strainer. In a big saucepan, place the farro, 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and convey it to a boil. Cut back the warmth to a simmer, cowl, and cook dinner till the grains are tender, about 15 to twenty minutes for pearled farro and 25 to half-hour for semi-pearled farro. Style check a grain to see whether it is tender (if the bundle is unmarked, simply cook 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 possibly can 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. High with feta cheese, if utilizing, and drizzle with hummus dressing.
Just a few extra farro recipes to strive
There are such a lot of enjoyable methods to eat farro! This primary farro recipe is a good facet dish, and you too can use it in farro with mushrooms, farro salad, or farro soup.