Farro is an ancient grain from Rome. Its delicious, nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture remind me of a lot of barley. Up until recently, Farro wasn’t available anywhere. Now, it’s readily available in your local grocery store.

I’m showing two pictures of my Farro Breakfast Bowls, one topped with an egg, and one without. Steve and I have a difference of opinion about eggs. I’m not even sure if “opinion” is even the right word. I’m no fan of the fried egg, to be fair, eggs are a big part of any breakfast, and Steve loves them, so that’s why I’ve included two pictures of this dish.

This is my Farro Breakfast Bowl, it’s easy to make while combining great flavor, color, and texture. Here’s how this dish comes together.

 

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (12-inch) sautè pan, 1 (3-quart) saucepot with a tight-fitting lid, box grater, chef’s knife, cutting board

Ingredients:
1 cup of uncooked Farro
3 cups of chicken stock, unsalted
1 pound of Italian chicken sausage, casings removed (substitute pork or turkey Italian sausage)
1 cup of frozen white shoepeg corn, thawed
1 cup of diced red bell pepper, 1-inch dice
1 cup of diced yellow bell pepper, 1-inch dice
1 cup of onion, 1-inch diced
1/2 cup of carrots, 1-inch dice
1 tablespoon (3 cloves) of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 cup Pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)
7 ounces of Feta cheese, diced into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly-grated
2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh chives, minced
2 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
1 fried egg, cooked to the temperature of your choosing (optional) 

Instructions for the Farro:
Start by rinsing and draining the Farro using a mesh sieve. In a 4-quart saucepot, bring the chicken stock and 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt up to a rolling boil. Add the Farro, and stir to combine. Simmer the Farro as if you are cooking pasta. Once the Farro is al dente, 20-25 minutes, drain any remaining liquid through a mesh sieve.

Instructions for the Sausage:
Next, in a large sautè pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage. Cook the sausage, allowing it to brown on all sides or until it’s completely brown with no pink spots, around 10 minutes.

Add the diced onion, garlic, diced peppers, carrots, kosher salt, and freshly-ground black pepper. Stir and continue cooking for 7-10 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

Don’t worry about the sausage bits sticking to the bottom of the pan because once the vegetables are added, they’ll release their water, allowing those bits to be released.

Using the back of a wooden spoon, scrape as much of those brown bits off the bottom of the pan; that’s all the flavor!

Transfer the cooked Farro and shoepeg corn to a large mixing bowl. Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture to the bowl. Next, add the pistachios (optional), Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cubed feta, and fresh herbs, then toss together.

Ladle the Farro into a serving bowl and top with a fried egg (optional). Serve hot!

There you have it, my Farro Breakfast Bowl.

Notes:
1) Cooking farro takes 15-45 minutes, depending on the type: pearled cooks fastest (around 15 mins), semi-pearled takes about 20 mins, and whole farro (least processed) can take 30- 40+ minutes, often requiring soaking for best results, but all yield tender grains when simmered in water or broth until chewy.

2) Tip: Cook the sausage and Farro at the same time.

3) Feel free to use either water or unsalted chicken stock for cooking the Farro. In place of the butter, I substitute olive oil.

4) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/04/09/farro-with-cranberries-pineapple-and-pistachios/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/12/07/farro-with-grapes-nuts-and-dried-fruit/