Red Pepper Farrotto

This red pepper farrotto recipe is for an absolutely delicious and mouth watering dish that comes together really quick while being completely vegetarian.

What is a farrotto?

Farrotto is a risotto style dish but made with farro instead of rice. Farro is an ancient form of wheat that is typically made of spelt, einkorn or emmer. It tends to be lower in gluten compared to modern wheat but is not gluten-free. When cooked, farro tends to be chewy and has a mild nutty taste.

Farro is available both is whole form or pearled version. The pearled version is precooked and hence the overall cooking time is shorter. For this recipe, I used the pearled or pre cooked version from Trader Joe's and the cooking time reflects that. If you are buying whole farro, please add more cooking time and possibly more liquid than what the recipe estimates.

Why make this red pepper farrotto?

Quick to make - Using quick cook farro, you can prepare this farrotto in less than 45 minutes and most of that is hands off cooking. It's the perfect quick to make, delicious meal.

Simple Ingredients - The recipe calls for very simple ingredients that are available easily. Farro is easily available in a lot of grocery stores including Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Target and even online.

Nutrient Rich - Farro is a nutty tasting chewy grain which is rich in fiber, protein, magnesium. This makes it a versatile vegetarian/vegan dish perfect either as a main or as a side.

Ingredients

Farro - I used pearled or pre-cooked farro which cooks much quicker than whole farro.Thoroughly wash and rinse the farro before using since there might be dust that needs to be washed off.

Produce - I used yellow onion, garlic and roasted bell peppers. You can use either roasted red peppers or a mix of different colored bell peppers.

Vegetable Broth - Use home made or store bought broth.

Soy Sauce - This is absolutely not an authentic ingredient but I love adding soy sauce since it brings a depth that truly lifts the dish.

No Salt Seasoning - You can keep the farrotto simple by seasoning with just salt and pepper. I decided to use a no salt seasoning which adds a hint of delicious flavor.

Toppings - I used some fresh dill leaves and feta to top the farrotto. To make the dish vegan, just skip the feta or switch to vegan feta.

How to make farrotto?

Farro is cooked slowly while adding a little bit of broth at a time to make the farrotto just like how we would cook arborio rice while making risotto.

Saute garlic and onion - Heat a wide pan and add some avocado oil. Once mildly hot, add the chopped garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the chopped onions. Mix well and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Prepare the pepper puree - Place the drained peppers and garlic in a blender. Run the blender until completely smooth. Remove as much of the burnt skin as possible before blending. Keep aside.

Cook the farro - Add the rinsed farro to the pan with the garlic-onion mixture. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Add 2 cups of broth and mix well. Keep the heat at medium low and close the lid. Check every few minutes and give it a stir. Once you see the broth has almost been absorbed, add another cup of broth. Mix well and let it cook for a few more minutes covered. Ensure the farro does not dry out and stick to the bottom of the pan.

Repeat this with another half cup of broth along with the soy sauce. At this point, the farro should be almost cooked.. Add the pepper-garlic puree and mix well. Keeping the heat low, cover the pan and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Ingredient Swaps

Farro - You can use both whole or pearled farro in the recipe. For whole farro, plan to use more liquids and cook for longer since it takes a longer time. You can also use pearled barley in place of farro for a delicious fiber rich dish.

Roasted Bell Peppers - You can play around with different flavors including sun dried tomatoes, green pesto, creamy lemon etc.

Toppings - Play around with different herbs, grated parmesan, slivered almonds, walnuts, zested lemon peel etc.

Feta - Skip the feta or replace with vegan feta to make the dish completely vegan.

Storage and Reheating

The farrotto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. You can also freeze the farrotto for up to 3 months.

Reheat in the microwave until warm or in the conventional oven at 350 deg F for 30 minutes. If frozen, let the farrotto thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat as mentioned.

Other delicious one pot complete recipes to try - Thai Basil Fried Rice, Vegan Japchae, Lazy Ravioli Lasagna, Vegan Shakshuka, Vegetable Manchow Soup, Indian Style Tomato Rice

If you gave this red pepper farrotto a try, please take a moment to leave a comment below letting us know how it went. You can also leave any questions or suggestions you have in the comments section. Follow us on social media at Facebook or Pinterest.

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