Farro With Roasted Vegetables (Printable Version)

Hearty whole grain farro with caramelized roasted vegetables, herbs, and balsamic dressing. A satisfying Mediterranean bowl ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup farro, uncooked
02 - 3 cups vegetable broth or water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 zucchini, diced
05 - 1 red onion, cut into wedges
06 - 1 medium carrot, sliced
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Dressing & Finish

13 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
15 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese, optional

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, carrot, and cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
03 - Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until caramelized and tender.
04 - Rinse farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine farro and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain excess liquid if necessary.
05 - In a large bowl, combine cooked farro, roasted vegetables, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Toss gently to combine.
06 - Stir in fresh parsley and top with crumbled feta cheese if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling enough to be your main event, yet humble enough to sit gracefully on the side of someone else's plate.
  • Once you master the roasting technique, you can swap vegetables with whatever's looking good at the market that day.
  • The feta is optional, which means this recipe works whether you're cooking for yourself, your vegan friend, or your dairy-sensitive cousin.
02 -
  • Don't skip the stirring halfway through roasting—it's the difference between evenly caramelized vegetables and some burnt edges with pale spots.
  • If your farro seems soupy after cooking, drain it gently in a fine mesh strainer rather than adding it wet to your vegetables, or the whole dish becomes mushy.
03 -
  • If your roasted vegetables start to look dry, it usually means your oven runs hot—lower the temperature slightly next time and give them an extra five minutes instead.
  • Toss the warm farro with the dressing while it's still hot so the grains actually absorb the flavors rather than just getting coated with it.
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