Farro “Risotto” with Mushrooms and Peas

Guess what? Comfort food can be healthy, vegetarian, creamy and amazingly satisfying.

Some days you want something hearty, creamy, and meaty, but healthy. This amazing mock risotto totally answers the challenge. I know, risotto? I have to stand and stir for forty minutes? Nope. One of the benefits of using farro is you just simmer it away and then let it sit for a bit and you’re done. All of the flavor and none of the work.

The recipe calls for farro and to soak it but you can skip this step if you find quick cooking farro like Trader Joe’s Ten Minute Farro. I also add red quinoa for extra fiber and nutrients and chia seeds to add protein and, because there isn’t starch in farro, additional creaminess.

Cook Time

20 min prep
1:00 hr cook time

Ingredients

Yield: 6 servings

1 quart vegetable stock
8oz farro
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup chia seed
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms (or a mixture of whatever mushrooms you want), cleaned, trimmed and sliced
1 cup peas
Salt to taste
2 large garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence (if out you can substitute some chopped rosemary and thyme)
½ cup dry white wine
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 to 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 to 1/2 cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Step 1

If not using quick cooking farro, place farro in a bowl, and pour on enough hot water to cover by an inch. Let soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain.

Step 2

Heat oil in a 4 quart pot. Add onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until clear (about 4 minutes), add garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes more.

Step 3

Once garlic and onions are clear, add the Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper, and heat for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and peas to the pot and then the farro. Stir to combine and cook for another minute.

Step 4

Add quinoa and chia to the pot and stir, then add the white wine and stir until the wine is reduced by half.

Step 5

Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper if needed.

Step 6

Lower temperature and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

Step 7

Once most of the liquid is gone, check farro. If not done add 1/2 cup water and cook until farro is tender. Once tender turn off the heat, stir in the parmesan cheese, cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

Step 8

Finish with a little extra parmesan and the chopped parsley.

And there you have it — Comforting, creamy, flavorful, and healthy. And you didn’t have to stand and stir for 40 minutes! Enjoy!

Farro Risotto with Mushrooms and Peas is definitely a recipe made with love.

Other stories you might enjoy:

Stress Free Meals During COVID-19I tried four major meal prep services during self isolation, so you don’t have to. Here’s what I learned…medium.com

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John Harbour is a United States Air Force veteran where he was a hostage rescue sniper with the Emergency Services Team (EST) and the leader of an airborne quick response team (AFT). He was last stationed outside of Las Vegas in the middle of the Nevada desert. He also served as diplomatic protection at the United Nations headquarters in New York, is a classically trained actor, has tended bar, worked in advertising and technology and enjoys nothing more than traveling the world searching for stories.

John lives in New York City with his wife and is the author of articles, short fiction, and the novel Nighthawks. He is an incurable wanderlust and is currently working on the novel The Heart. His first non-fiction book, Diary of a Hippie: A Real-Life Journal of What to Expect During a Total Hip Replacement chronicles his journey from diagnosis through the operation and recovery.

Connect with him at www.johnharbour.com/contact for all social media channels and email.