Creamy and hearty, this Shiitake Farro Risotto is indulgent yet light on the tastebuds. With lots of natural flavors at play, the white wine and simple seasoning work to enhance and highlight the richness of this dish.
Similar to a rice risotto, the farro adds a nice chewy texture and hearty flavor to this fresh meal. The mushrooms are a nice “meaty” addition and the salty flavor of grated parmesan really takes this dish over the top. All in all, this farro risotto is easy & delicious with less than 10 ingredients and plenty of opportunity for pre-prepped ingredients.
For another easy and healthy meal, check out this Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff. Sauteed onions, mushrooms, and al dente pasta are tossed in a creamy vegan stroganoff sauce. A cozy, warming dish with a healthy twist!
Ingredients
Farro – Hearty in flavor and chewy in texture, this ancient grain is one of my favorites. It’s my go-to option for when I want something besides quinoa or rice; can be an easy swap for most recipes with those grains! I buy Bob’s Red Mill brand Farro and explain how to cook it down below.
Vegetable Broth – Adds flavor to the farro while cooking and keeps this meal more veggie forward. If you’re not vegetarian/vegan, feel free to swap for chicken broth as well.
Olive Oil – A good and healthy fat to saute the onions & mushrooms in. I love Primal Kitchen for a good quality olive oil as well as the brand Brightland.
Onions – I suggest white onions for this farro risotto as they have a nice subtle sweet flavor when sautéed and add texture. You can sub a sweet onion as well!
Shiitake Mushrooms – My favorite variety of all mushrooms, Shiitake have such unique texture and really absorb the flavor of whatever you cook them in. I’ll share my tips for preparing and cooking them down below.
White Wine – A great way to add moisture + flavor to any dish. The white wine helps enhance and intensify the natural flavors of the dish, i.e. the spices, vegetables, and farro. You can also omit the white wine if you’d like and only use the reserved liquid (from the farro).
Parmesan – The salty & cheesy flavor of parmesan really makes this dish into a *chef’s kiss* creation. For anyone avoiding dairy though, add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and it’ll still be super tasty.
Can You Use Farro for Risotto?
As you’ve probably guessed by now, yes, you can 100% use farro for a risotto recipe. Traditionally risotto is made with arborio rice but I think farro makes for an interesting texture + flavor. Now that being said, if you’ve never made farro before, don’t fret! For this recipe, you start by par-cooking the risotto. To do this:
- In a medium saucepan, bring vegetable broth, farro, salt and pepper to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a medium-low boil and continue to cook uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. Farro should be al dente.
- Drain farro (do not rinse) and reserve all of the cooking liquid – you will be using this later so make sure to keep!
Is Farro Gluten Free?
Now as I mentioned before, risotto is traditionally made with rice, making it gluten free. The only caveat with making a farro risotto is the fact that farro *is not* gluten free. While it’s a healthy grain for most people, it is a form of wheat and has gluten.
That being said, you can easily sub rice for the farro if you’re gluten free. The rest of the recipe is simple and can work just as well with rice!
How to Cook Shiitake Mushrooms
If you’ve never tried shiitake mushrooms, this is your sign to do it. I can’t express it enough, shiitake mushrooms are one of the superior mushroom varieties and that’s that. The texture is delicate yet hearty and they don’t get overly soggy yet absorb so much of the recipe flavor.
To prepare them, start by “brushing” them with a damp paper towel. Gently brush the mushroom tops with the towel, this keeps them from absorbing too much water. The next step is important and simple – remove the stems. Unlike other mushrooms varieties, shiitake stems are tough and fibrous.
As the final step for cooking, make sure the pan is preheated to be medium hot and has plenty of oil before adding the mushrooms. Then after 5-8 minutes of cooking the mushrooms should be glistening and ready to proceed!
Vegan Risotto Recipe
Unlike the usual dairy laden risotto recipes, this shiitake farro blend can be made entirely vegan and still be oh so delicious. The base flavors are robust yet fresh without a single dairy/animal product involved! The only non-vegan addition is the parmesan cheese but that can easily be swapped for a vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.
How to Store Shiitake Farro Risotto
This farro risotto makes for delicious leftovers and is super simple to store. Simply keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat on the stove top, in the oven, or with a quick run in microwave.
For more healthy comfort food with vegan swaps available, check out my Vegetarian Shepherds Pie, Eggplant Parmesan, and Rice Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce. If you try this recipe (or any of them), please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you. It also helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Shiitake Farro Risotto.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Farro rinsed
- 6 Cups Vegetable broth*
- ½ Tsp Salt
- ¼ Tsp Black pepper
- 4 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Cup Onion diced fine
- 2 Cups Shiitake mushrooms cut into slices (~6oz)
- 1 Cup White wine
- ½ Cup Grated parmesan
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring vegetable broth, farro, salt and pepper to a boil. Reduce heat to a medium-low boil and continue to cook uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. Farro should be al dente. Drain farro (do not rinse) and reserve all of the cooking liquid.
- In the same saucepan, add the olive oil and heat to medium. Add the onions and sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes or until onions are translucent and mushrooms are glistening.
- Add the cooked farro and stir until combined.
- Add the wine and a ladle full of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir until the liquid is almost gone. Continue to cook and stir, adding a ladle full of reserved liquid each time the liquid reduces. When the farro becomes very creamy (~15-20 min), stir in the parmesan before serving.
Notes
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This was good! I ended up adding a bit of palm sugar, additional black pepper,and a pinch of msg. I served it with some grilled sausage and roast veggies but it would be a good meal on its own. Some fresh herbs would really elevate this. I am thinking thyme, or perhaps some sage. This is a great comforting hearty meal for the winter.
Very good! Did not have any wine and don’t drink it, so just used extra veggie broth. Used fresh shiitakes from local farmers market and a bit of Trader Joe’s EveryDay Seasoning. Will make again, but maybe next time use mushroom broth to get more mushroom flavor.