You’ll love this easy farro recipe with mushrooms and peas, creamy and packed with flavor from fresh thyme, garlic, and a little Parmesan cheese. Think of this as a farro risotto type dish, but with far less TLC than your typical risotto requires! This farro recipe is perfect as a vegetarian main next to some fresh salad, or serve it as a side next to your favorite protein (I’ve got some ideas below). You can also prepare it in advance and use as lunch for several days.
What is Farro?
Farro is nutty-flavored Mediterranean grain that has been in use since the time of ancient Egypt! And not only is it chockful of good-for-you nutrition–fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants–it is also hearty, deeply satisfying, and quite versatile. You’ll find all sorts of ways to use farro year-round, from stews to salads (one of my favorites is this Mediterranean farro salad with shrimp and chickpeas) and more.
Because farro is chewier than Italian rice and doesn’t release starch when cooking, it doesn’t need constant tending. That’s why, I personally like to use it as an easy alternative in dishes like risotto.
Farro Recipe with Mushrooms and Peas (Farro Risotto)
Today’s farro recipe with mushrooms and peas is a risotto-like dish, only it does not require the kind of TLC traditional risotto would.
This is a perfectly filling, hearty farro recipe with mushrooms and peas. I used Italian pearled farro, which typically cooks in 20 minutes or so. And this can be made any time of the year, since we use frozen peas (no need to thaw!)
The draw to this farro recipe is in the flavors. To capitalize on farro’s earthy flavor, I add green onions, fresh garlic, and thyme while keeping the spices to a minimum–just a pinch of sweet paprika for added depth. A little grated Parmesan and fresh mint leaves round finish this simple dish.
Serve this Farro Recipe as a side or vegetarian entree
For a light vegetarian main, this farro recipe will easily serve four people with a side of fresh Mediterranean salad or this hearty 3 Bean Salad. You can also serve it as a side next to your favorite protein– salmon kabobs or lemon chicken are two good options.
How long will this farro recipe keep?
This farro recipe will keep well for 3 to 4 days, if refrigerated properly in airtight containers. Great solution for lunch! When you need to warm it up, just use a skillet over medium-low heat. It helps to add a little bit of water and stir regularly till warmed through.
If you love mushrooms and looking for more mushroom recipes, you might also like to check out my chicken and mushroom, this braised chicken thighs, or this delicious mushroom pasta.
More Recipes to Try:
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One-Pan Farro Recipe with Mushrooms and Peas
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
Description
An easy Mediterranean one-pan farro recipe with mushrooms, peas, garlic, and fresh herbs!
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms,cleaned, trimmed and sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 cup Italian Pearled Farro
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 springs fresh thyme, leaves only
- Salt and pepper
- 2 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
Instructions
- In a deep skillet with a lid (like this one), heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add green onions, mushrooms and peas; saute for 3-4 minutes. Add fresh garlic and stir briefly until fragrant.
- Now add farro, sweet paprika, thyme, and a little salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pot, boil the vegetable broth. Add the boiling broth to the farro mixture.
- Bring everything to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove from heat and add grated Parmesan and fresh mint leaves. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: As a vegetarian entree or main course, this recipe will serve 4. If served as a side next to your favorite protein such as salmon or chicken, it can serve 5 to 6 people.
- Cook’s Tip: To serve as a vegetarian entree, consider adding a salad like this Mediterranean Salad or 3-Bean Salad. Or serve this farro recipe as a side next to your favorite protein.
- Leftovers? Store leftovers in the fridge in air-tight containers for 3 to 4 days. Warm over medium-low heat, adding a little water and stirring as needed.
- Recommended for this Recipe: Our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil (from organically grown and processed Koroneiki olives!)
- Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2017 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit.
Oh my goodness, when u make a new recipe and it gets completely demolished, you know you have a keeper! And when your husband asks you to make it AGAIN…..!!! I did make some changes based on what I had available (canned mushroom instead of fresh, no peas because no one would eat it! Lol… Smoked paprika, shallot instead of green onion)
“completely demolished”…lol! So glad you loved it, even with your own little swaps!
Loved this dish.
Suzy, I’ve not seen Italian Pearled Farro at my local grocery. I’ve used TJoe’s quick cooking farro before, so could this be a substitute? Your recipes have become staples in our home; thanks for bringing us joy on a plate!
Hi, Jennifer. That may work as a substitute, but I think you would have to adjust the cooking time a bit. If you aren’t able to find it in a store near you, we actually sell farro in our online shop. You can click here to check it out!
What a fabulous quick dish to have with a salad! I didn’t have onions, so I used leeks. Even my I-don’t-like-mushrooms husband loved it! :0
Yay! Thanks, Dianna!
Love this recipe! Very tasty. Only thing I would change next time is I would the peas closer to the end so that they maintain their green color. Adding them earlier saps their color and plumpness.
Really great taste! I am pescatarian so added shrimp to mine and my husband ate as a side dish to the spatchcock chicken I made him. Really delish!
I made this as a main dish with labneh and pita. A bonus with this recipe is that it is as good (maybe even better) on the next day.
This was delicious…soooo good! I’m cooking for just me, so I halved the recipe. But, since I love them, I used the full amount of mushrooms. I will definitely be keeping this recipe in rotation. I served it as a main dish with a side of carrots. To add additional protein, I’m going to try it with a poached (or fried) egg on top.
This dish paired beautifully with steak. I was out of green onion so I used shallots. Will definitely be making this again. Looking forward to your cookbook.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Doreen!
This was very good. Alas I had no mint as that would have been a nice addition. Wish I’d thought to use cilantro. Next time I make it I will add the peas much later. My farro took quite a long time to cook and peas were way overdone. I could even have used 1/4-1/3 cup less broth.
Thank you for your feedback, Gayle.
Great recipe. As with others, I only added 2 cups of chicken broth. Didn’t have enough peas, so I made up the difference with cooked chickpeas. Also added 1 Tbs. of butter at the end. We both loved it – a solid keeper. Thanks Suzy!!
Made this tonight and my husband and I both loved it!!
Followed some of the hints of other comments and only used 2 cups of broth and added the peas the last 8 minutes of cooking the farrow.
I will definitely make this again and again!
Thank you for a good recipe
So glad you enjoyed it, Janet!
Added some morels & used their reconstituted water as the broth. Wonderful! Also used basil instead of mint since that’s what I had. Thank you for the inspiration for this great meal!
My pleasure, Tanner! So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe with freekeh and it worked great!
Awesome! Thanks, Veronica!
Might have been the farro I used, but this more water than the farro could absorb, so I needed to drain it, and by then the peas were way over cooked. I’d recommend left water (whatever your package of farro says) and waiting until there’s 5-10 min of cook time left to throw in the peas. The flavor is good though!
Thank you for sharing, Allyson!