Mushroom Farro Risotto

This hearty risotto uses farro in place of traditional rice and is loaded with flavor from savory wild mushrooms and roasted asparagus. Yum!

Even though I love risotto, I don't cook it very often. It's not that I find it complicated or that it doesn't turn out well when I make it, it's just that I'm lazy and easily distracted.

Standing over a Dutch oven full of rice and broth for 40 minutes seems like some kind of cruel punishment from a fairy tale. Like, I'm sure Cinderella's evil step-sisters made her prepare them risotto for dinner every night.

About this Farro Risotto!

Despite my aversion to making risotto, when I saw a recipe for farro risotto in Cooking Light, my interest was piqued. I'm on a bit of grain kick and farro is one of the few that I haven't experimented with too much yet.

I also (mistakenly!) thought that maybe I could spend a little bit less time babysitting farro risotto. But you know what? It was totally worth the time and effort. Farro risotto is good. Dare I say better than risotto risotto? Yes, I dare!

(Although if you want to try a traditional risotto - this mushroom risotto is pretty fantastic.)

Farro is chewy and nutty and much more filling then Arborio rice, yet it still has that risotto creaminess that I love. I tweaked the original recipe (which doesn't seem to exist on the internet any longer) by adding roasted asparagus, more onion, and plenty of wild mushrooms.

I also used a no-beef broth since we had that on hand, but I have also made with my own homemade mushroom stock, and it's equally delicious both ways.

If you have this for a meal, be prepared to be full afterwards. Pleasantly full, but full nonetheless.

More Vegetarian Recipes

If you love this farro risotto, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas:

• Farro Caprese Salad
• Spring Risotto with Asparagus and Peas
• The BEST Vegetarian Comfort Food Recipes

Farro Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Asparagus

A hearty risotto made with farro, wild mushrooms, and roasted asparagus.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: Farro Risotto, Farro Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Asparagus, risotto recipe

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 460kcal

Author: Oh My Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 lb asparagus tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil + 2 tsp additional
• 5 ½ cup no-beef broth or mushroom stock
• 1 ½ cup farro
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 4 oz wild mushroom blend sliced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp fresh thyme chopped
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and coarsely chop.
• Toss asparagus and 2 tsp. of olive oil on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes or until tender, stirring halfway through.
• Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Keep stock warm over low heat.
• Heat remaining olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add farro and onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Add shiitake mushrooms and wild mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes or until wild mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Add wine and thyme; cook until liquid almost evaporates.
• Add ½ cup of broth to farro mixture; cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 5 cups of broth ½ cup at a time, stirring occasionally until stock is absorbed before adding the next. (This takes about 40 minutes. Yes really.)
• When adding the last ½ cup of broth, stir in cheese as well. When broth is absorbed completely, stir in parsley, roasted asparagus, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 14gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 1410mgPotassium: 731mgFiber: 16gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1951IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 143mgIron: 5mg

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