Mushroom Parmesan Farro

Name: Mushroom Parmesan Farro
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp unsalted butter; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 3.5 oz shiitake or oyster mushrooms, finely chopped*; 1 cup Italian pearled farro, rinsed; 1 cup low sodium chicken broth; 1 cup water; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 1 lemon wedge; 1 Tbsp chopped parsley and/or dill; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, very finely shredded or grated; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

January 20, 2023 By Anya 2 Comments

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Mushroom Parmesan farro is a creamy, aromatic, and irresistible Italian side dish. The mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese give the farro incredible flavor and delicious aroma. It’s easy to make and perfect for a fancy and romantic meal, but also a weeknight family dinner.

Large plate of mushroom farro garnished with Parmesan and parsley, with a fork on the side.

Fairly recently I have discovered an amazing grain side dish that has quickly become my favorite. It isn’t super common or easy to find in every grocery store, but when I do come across it I love to stock up. This wonderful grain is called farro, and it is easy to see why the Italian people have eaten it for centuries. Both my kids love farro more than pasta or rice and that has me really excited. Nutty, savory, mushroom-y, slightly chewy… it’s SO good. You have to try it for yourself if you haven’t already.

The way it cooks up has some resemblance to risotto, but it’s easier to make and wayy yummier in my opinion! Most of the cooking time is hands off so it can definitely be an easy weeknight meal. I can’t think of a better side to serve with white fish, shrimp, scallops, chicken, or any kind on veggie. You can even eat it for breakfast… so many possibilities!

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Just cooked pot of farro with a wooden spoon scooping the farro. Garnished with parsley

What is farro?

Farro is an incredible ancient grain that is said to have originated in the Fertile Crescent. It is a type of wheat that predates bread wheat we use now for everyday cooking. It is so old that it has even been found in the tombs of Ancient Egyptian Kings.

This grain is a little bit confusing because there are actually three types of farro (einkorn, emmer, and spelt) and you can purchase these in whole form, semipearled, and pearled. The farro in which some of the bran has been removed will be faster to cook. In this recipe we are using the most commonly sold (in the US) grain, which is pearled. It actually doesn’t have any bran at all. It doesn’t require any soaking and it’s fairly fast and easy to make.

What kind mushrooms should I use?

I LOVE mushrooms so I like to use an extra tasty/fancy mushroom for this recipe to take it up a notch. My favorite is oyster mushrooms. I also love shiitake mushrooms. Another great option is Baby Bella mushrooms!

If you are interested in doing something fun with the kids and getting them interested in how mushrooms grow (and eating them) you would love this mushroom kit that’s sold on Amazon. It’s very easy to do and the kids can see quickly the little mushrooms popping up and growing. It’s quite fun and I recommend it! My oldest daughter was so excited to eat her mushrooms by harvest time!

Close up of Mushroom Farro on a plate, garnished with Parmesan and chopped parsley

What kind of farro should I use for this recipe?

You want to use the Italian pearled farro. It requires no soaking and has a very quick cooking time. I have not tested this recipe with semipearled farro but you could probably adapt the recipe to use that kind of grain. Proceed with caution and use your best judgment – you might need a little extra water and to extend the cooking time.

What ingredients do I need?

Ingredients for mushroom chicken farro recipe - chicken broth, mushrooms, parsley, farro, garlic, shallot, lemon, cheese, salt, and pepper

The ingredients list is fairly simple:

Farro – choose the Italian pearled variety
Mushrooms -oyster, shiitake, baby Bella, or any other type
Butter – you can use olive oil but butter will give better flavor
Low sodium Chicken broth, or homemade broth
Shallot – you can substitute half a sweet onion if you can’t find a shallot
Fresh garlic – adds wonderful flavor
Parmesan cheese – grate it very finely so it melts into the sauce
Fresh parsley – very important to balance out the favors and add flavor
Lemon – just a little lemon juice brightens up the farro
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make farro Step by Step

Start with melting some butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook until soft, then add garlic until its aromatic. Next, add your finely chopped mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and soften. Rinse the farro, add to the pot, and stir everything for a minute.

Step by Step cooking process - adding butter to the pot, adding chopped shallots, then adding the chopped mushrooms, and then adding the washed farro grain.

Now, pour in the broth and water and season with sea salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook until farro is tender and nearly all liquid is absorbed, then add the chopped herbs, Parmesan cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, and black pepper.

Mixing farro into the pot, pouring water into the pot, simmering farro, cooked farro with some parsley and Parmesan on top.

What should I serve with Parmesan Mushroom farro?

The creaminess of this mushroom farro would go perfect with a white fish, lemon-y scallops, crab cakes, or shrimp. I also love to serve it with grilled or roasted chicken and asparagus. Any kind of roasted veggies will go beautifully with it as well. You can also pair it with a crunchy salad and garlic bread.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, be sure to let me know below in the comments – I love hearing from you!