This Mushroom Farro Risotto is a hearty, healthy comfort food packed with flavor. It's a wonderful alternative to the classic rice risotto, and it’s just as creamy and delicious.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
This recipe is a real treat for anyone who loves comforting, family-style meals. Here's why you'll love it:
- Healthy: Farro is a highly nutritious grain. It’s packed with fiber, protein, and other important nutrients, which makes it a healthier alternative to rice, just like our Herbed Chicken with Farro Risotto.
- Flavor: Farro has a slightly chewier texture and a mild, nutty flavor. It’s a beautiful base for the earthy, rich flavors of mushrooms and garlic. Try our Ukrainian Mushroom Soup for more robust mushroom flavors.
- Easy to Make: This recipe is easy to follow and doesn’t require any special cooking skills.
- Crowd-Pleaser: The recipe is easily scalable, making it perfect for serving both small and large groups.
Key Ingredients
- Shiitake Mushrooms – These provide a rich, earthy flavor and a meaty texture to our risotto. Make sure to remove the stems and thinly slice the caps so they blend beautifully with the farro.
- Farro – We use this ancient grain as the base of our risotto for its nutty flavor and hearty texture. Be sure to rinse it before using it to remove any debris.
- Dry White Wine – The wine adds a tangy, fruity depth to the dish that compliments the earthy mushrooms and nutty farro.
- Pecorino Romano and Parmesan Cheese – These are optional, but they add a salty, cheesy kick to the risotto that takes it to the next level. Make sure to use freshly grated cheese for the best flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are some of our favorite variations and substitution ideas:
- Vegan: If you want to make this risotto vegan, simply omit the cheese or use your favorite dairy-free cheese substitute.
- Different Mushrooms: Feel free to play around with the types of mushrooms you use in this recipe. We love the meaty texture of shiitake mushrooms, but you can also try using cremini, portobello, or oyster mushrooms for a different flavor.
- Add Protein: While this risotto is a complete meal on its own, you can always add your favorite protein. Grilled chicken or tofu would work wonderfully here.
How to Make Mushroom Farro Risotto
Step 1: Soak Porcini mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain (reserving water) and chop.
Step 2: Sauté onions in 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic, Porcini, and Shiitake mushrooms; cook for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 3: In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add Farro, and cook for 1 minute. Add white wine and cook until evaporated (about 3 minutes).
Step 4: Stir in 1 cup vegetable broth and reserved mushroom water. Season, reduce heat, and cook until absorbed.
Step 5: Continue adding broth ½ cup at a time, stirring until Farro is tender (about 30 minutes).
Step 6: Add peas, cooked mushrooms, Pecorino Romano, and Parmesan. Cover and cook 1-2 minutes until peas soften.
Step 7: Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
What to Serve with Mushroom Farro Risotto
Vegetables
- A simple green salad or a side of roasted vegetables can add a pop of color and some extra nutrients to your meal.
- We recommend trying this farro risotto with a side of our Roasted Asparagus Soup or even with a side of our Brussels Sprouts with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Protein
- If you're looking to add some protein to your meal, consider serving this mushroom farro risotto alongside Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken or some seared tofu.
- You can also stir in some cooked chicken or shrimp during the last few minutes of cooking to make this dish a complete meal.
- This vegetarian risotto pairs well with a simple side of protein. We recommend our Air Fryer Steak.
Frequently Asked Questions
Farro is an ancient whole grain that has a nutty flavor and a chewy texture. It is commonly used in Italian cuisine and can be found in the grains or international foods section of most well-stocked supermarkets. You can also purchase it online or at specialty health food stores.
No, farro is not gluten-free. It is an ancient grain that contains gluten, so if you have a gluten intolerance or sensitivity, you should choose a different type of grain for this recipe.
For this recipe, you can use any dry white wine that you would enjoy drinking. Some popular choices include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay. The wine will add a delicious depth of flavor to your risotto.
This risotto can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness and flavor.
Recipe
Farro Risotto With Wild Mushrooms And Peas
Ingredients
- ½ oz dried Porcini mushrooms
- 1 lb Shiitake mushrooms stems removed and mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 cup boiling water
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 medium onion minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup Farro rinsed
- 1 cup frozen sweet peas
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated (optional)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon parsley chopped
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, soak Porcini mushrooms in a cup of boiling water until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the mushroom water. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sautéing pan and on the medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add Porcini and Shiitake and cook for 15 minutes until Porcini have softened. Transfer cooked mushrooms and onions to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add Farro and cook for about 1 minute. Add white wine and cook for about 3 minutes until it evaporates.
- Stir in 1 cup of vegetable broth and mushroom water.
- Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until broth is absorbed.
- Continue adding broth ½ cup at a time, stirring occasionally until Farro absorbs all liquid and is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Stir in frozen peas, cooked mushrooms, Pecorino Romano and Parmesan. (Omit the cheese for vegan version). Cover with a lid and cook for another 1-2 minutes until peas have softened.
- Sprinkle with parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Nina Kulish says
Mushroom is a versatile ingredient that can enhance any meal. I love them for their flavor, they're easy to make and fast, and the result is always good. I've tried different mushroom risottos, but never with farro. I think it should be great. Thank you for the idea!
Mike says
The recipe has way too much liquid for 1/2 cup of farro. Do you mean 1 or 1-1/2 cups farro?
Karla A. Quinn says
You spelled sweet wrong...a tip to remember is that you always want more sweets, hence the double ee's
Fitoru fitness says
I love it! I cannot wait to try out this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Iryna says
You're welcome! I hope you'll enjoy it!