A delicious bowl full of grains, greens and super lemony dressing. This Zesty Farro Bowl with Crispy Shallots hits the spot if you are looking for something light and healthy, vegan or vegetarian or you just want a great side dish!
Oh and I almost forgot, the fried crispy shallots.
The crispy shallots are not mandatory for this dish but why wouldn’t you indulge yourself sometimes? They take about the same amount of time as the farro to prepare and they are fried – but once in a while you have to go for the gusto! The shallots complete this bowl in a spectacular fashion and you will have some left over to spice up other salads, fish, burgers or eggs. My Spicy Thai Carrot Soup would be a wonderful compliment to this Zesty Farro Grain Bowl with Crispy Shallots.
What is Farro you ask?
Farro is originally from the middle east and it has been found in the tombs of Egyptian kings. Italians have been cooking with farro for centuries. It is an ancient grain and close relative of the modern day wheat grain. It is extremely nutritious and is an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients. There is a nutty, chewy texture to farro and it can be used in many different ways – even as you would use risotto, cooking it slowly and letting the grain soak up the liquid over time.
Farro is not gluten-free but is an extremely healthy grain compared to white rice and pasta.
How do you prepare Farro?
It’s very easy to prepare, like rice, you cook it in water for 30 minutes. But unlike rice, when it is done cooking, you drain any additional water so it is not as fussy to make.
PrintFarro Grain Bowl
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A bowl of delicious grains and greens.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of farro
- 2 cups of water or vegetable broth
- 8 medium shallots
- 2 cups oil for frying (high-heat oil)
- 3 cups of arugula
- 8 cherry tomatoes cut in half
Vinaigrette
- Juice from a whole lemon
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- 1/8 cup of balsamic vinegar
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
Farro
- Rinse farro in cold water.
- Bring 2 cups of water or broth to a boil, add farro, return to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes.
- When farrow is done, drain any excess liquid and spread out on a cooking sheet to cool.
Crispy Shallots
- Cut shallots into rings
- Place shallots in deep pan then fill with oil to cover.
- Slowly heat up on a medium flame and continue to cook for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Pour shallots into a strainer over a medium sized bowl and save the oil for later use.
Watch shallots carefully as they are cooking because although they cook for 30 minutes, they will suddenly turn brown then need to be removed from the oil immediately.
Vinaigrette
- Whisk all ingredients together until smooth.
Putting it together.
Toss the farro with 2/3 of the vinaigrette, toss the arugula and tomatoes with the other 1/3 of the dressing.
Place arugula in a large serving bowl, pour farro on top and scatter the shallots on the top.
Notes
I made the farrow with homemade vegetable broth and it added so much flavor to the grains.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
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