Mushroom & Kale Farro Risotto (Farrotto)
This kale & mushroom farro risotto recipe is creamy, hearty, and comforting. Farro risotto, aka farrotto, is a nutritious twist on traditional risotto, but just as delicious! Enjoy this vegetarian meal for your next at home date night.
This mushroom & kale farro risotto is something I would order at a nice restaurant! It’s creamy, comforting, and actually packed with nutrients. As a Registered Dietitian, I love to take traditionally energy-dense recipes and add a nutritious twist. By replacing rice with farro in this risotto recipe, we’re adding more fiber, plant-based protein, and micronutrients – such a win!
This mushroom farrotto recipe is vegetarian and serves three people generously. You don’t need anything special to make it – just a heavy-bottomed pot and a mixing spoon! If you love this recipe, you will probably want to try my roasted butternut squash farro risotto recipe, too!
What is farro?
Farro is an ancient whole grain in the wheat family. It looks similar to barley, with a light brown color and oblong shape. It is a good source of plant-based protein and fiber.
Most farro found in stores is sold “pearled” or “semi-pearled”, meaning all or some of the bran is removed. This helps the farro cook faster.
What does farro taste like?
Farro has a nice subtle nutty flavor, somewhat similar to brown rice. It retains its shape well when cooked, and has a bit of chew and bite. I love the mild flavor and find it super versatile for all kinds of whole grain recipes.
When used to make risotto, farro maintains it’s chewy texture, but the overall dish is creamy and thick as the starches in the farro get released during cooking.
Find more recipes with farro on my blog!
Ingredients in farro risotto
Here is everything you need to make this farro risotto/farrotto:
- Farro
- Shiitake mushrooms – sub cremini or button mushrooms if you can’t find shiitake
- Kale
- Shallots
- Fresh or dried rosemary
- Vegetable stock or broth
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- Dry white wine (optional)
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh parsley, for serving
How to make farro risotto
Traditionally, risotto is made with a high starch, short grain rice called arborio rice. The rice is cooked in broth for about 20 minutes. Risotto can be called a labor of love, since it requires consistent stirring to release the starches. The starches from the rice help the dish thicken up into the thick, creamy texture you get with risotto.
Making farro risotto takes a bit longer than making risotto with rice, but most of the cooking time is hands-off! That means you won’t be sitting over a hot stove stirring for 20 minutes. Here’s how to do it:
- Start by cooking diced shallots, sliced shiitake mushrooms, and dried rosemary in olive oil in butter in a heavy bottomed pot. Cook until the mushrooms are soft.
- To the pot, add the farro and white wine. Cook for about a minute until the wine has completely absorbed.
- Add the kale and vegetable broth and give everything a stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.
- Stir the farro thoroughly every 10-15 minutes for about one hour. Each time you stir, you will notice more and more liquid has been absorbed into the cooking farro.
- At the end of an hour, there will be very little liquid left. Give everything a good stir, then mix in the parmesan cheese and remove from heat.
- Let the farro risotto sit for a few minutes to thicken even more, then serve! Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
What to serve with farro risotto
You could serve this farrotto on it’s own as a light vegetarian meal. To make it more filling, pair it with your favorite protein.
Keep it plant-based with tofu or tempeh, or try it as a side with salmon, shrimp, or cod.
Can I prepare farro risotto in advance?
While this risotto tastes best when it is eaten fresh, it is perfectly fine as leftovers! Plus, I feel this farro risotto keeps better than regular risotto.
If you want to prepare it in advance or store leftovers, keep the risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
To reheat, portion out a serving of risotto into a microwave safe bowl. Pop it in the microwave for 1 minute – 1 minute 30 seconds until it is warmed through.
Farro nutrition
Is farro healthy?
Farro is incredibly nutritious! It’s a whole grain packed with nutrients. Farro provides more protein and fiber than most other whole grains, in addition to plenty of micronutrients. A one-third cup serving of dry farro provides:
- 4 grams of dietary fiber (14 percent of your daily needs)
- 7 grams of plant-based protein
- A good source of magnesium, zinc, and niacin
- Small amounts of iron and calcium
Whole grains including farro are loaded with antioxidants. These plant compounds help reduce inflammation and keep our cells healthy by fighting off free radical damage.
Is farro healthier than rice?
Farro is more nutrient-dense than both white rice and brown rice. It contains more dietary fiber and more protein than rice. For this reason, it is an excellent choice for those who follow a primarily plant-based diet.
See the nutrient comparison in the table below for one half cup of each grain:
| Farro | Brown Rice | White Rice | |
| Calories | 170 | 108 | 121 |
| Fat (g) | 1.5 | 1 | 0.2 |
| Protein (g) | 10 | 3 | 2 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 43.5 | 22 | 27 |
| Fiber (g) | 6 | 2 | 0.3 |
Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!
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Mushroom & Kale Farro Risotto (Farrotto)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: serves 3 generously 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This kale & mushroom farro risotto recipe is creamy, hearty, and comforting. Farro risotto, aka farrotto, is a nutritious twist on traditional risotto, but just as delicious! Enjoy this vegetarian meal for your next at home date night.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 medium shallots, diced
- 4 0z shiitake mushrooms, sliced (substitute cremini or button mushrooms if you can’t find shiitake)
- 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- 1 1/4 cup farro
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or water
- 3 cups kale, chopped
- 32 oz vegetable stock or broth
- Heaping 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- To the pot, add the shiitake mushrooms, dried rosemary, and a generous pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Cook mushrooms for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are deep brown and soft.
- Add the dry farro to the pot and stir. Then pour in the white wine or water. Cook for about a minute, stirring, letting the farro absorb the wine until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Add kale and the vegetable stock to the pot. Give everything a good stir to combine the ingredients.
- Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover the pot.
- Every 10-15 minutes, uncover and stir everything well. Repeat 3-4 times – you will notice that the amount of liquid reduces the longer the risotto cooks.
- After about an hour, there will be very little liquid left. Remove the cover and stir everything up well, helping the farro to release its starches.
- Stir in the shredded parmesan cheese and add more salt to taste.
- Let farro risotto sit for 3-5 minutes to thicken up a bit more.
- Portion out into bowls and garnish generously with fresh parsley and freshly cracked pepper.
Notes
Storage and reheating
If you want to prepare it in advance or store leftovers, keep the risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
To reheat, portion out a serving of risotto into a microwave safe bowl. Pop it in the microwave for 1 minute – 1 minute 30 seconds until it is warmed through.
Keywords: farro risotto, farotto, mushroom farro risotto, is farro healthy, farro nutrition
