• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Elle & Pear
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Fall

Italian Farro

By Lauren | Updated: Oct 24, 2023 | Published: Feb 8, 2022 | Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe

Italian Farro is a dish made with farro, baby broccoli, and cannellini beans in a light tomato sauce topped with melted parmesan cheese and burrata. It is a filling, family-friendly weeknight meal that can be made in about 30 minutes.

Italian Farro in a large saute pan with broccoli and melted burrata cheese on a wooden background.

This is a really easy dish to throw together and if you can manage to make it without distractions (like 3 little kids running circles around the house and occasionally being asked to be picked up) you can make the whole thing fairly quickly on weeknight.

🌟Why You'll Love This Dish

  • Farro: This dish uses farro instead of pasta. Farro is a hearty whole grain that adds a slightly nutty toasty flavor.
  • 30-Minute: This dish comes together in just about 30 minutes, great for a weeknight meal. I've even made it for a quick lunch. It's great for leftovers too.
  • Tomato and Burrata: The combination of melty burrata cheese in a light tomato sauce in this Italian dish is super satisfying.

✏️ Variations:

  • Saucier Sauce: For an even thinner sauce, reserve an extra ½ cup (for 1½ cups total) of cooking liquid from the farro and add to the dish before putting it in the oven.
  • White Wine: If you have a little extra time and some white wine on hand you can add about ½ a cup of white wine after cooking the shallot, baby broccoli, and garlic and allow to cook for about 5 minutes before adding the San Marzano tomato sauce.
  • Burrata: We've also made this with fresh and low-moisture mozzarella at different times, which our kids love, and can be less expensive than burrata.
  • Adding Meat: Feel free to add chicken sausage or a loose Italian sausage, which we do from time to time, which also goes well in a Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Dish.

🛒 Ingredients

Below are the ingredients needed to make this Italian Farro dish.

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Using extra virgin olive oil adds flavor, and doesn't have to be too expensive if purchased at Costco, or a place like Trader Joe's.
  • Shallot & Garlic: Adds flavor to the tomato sauce. Mince these so that they disappear into the sauce.
  • Baby Broccoli: Adds a green veggie to the dish. Baby broccoli is hearty enough to hold up to the tomato sauce.
  • San Marzano Tomatoes: I love, love San Marzano tomatoes. They gain their incredible unique flavor because they are grown in the volcanic ash of Mt. Vesuvius in Italy. Look for ones imported from Italy. While I don't recommend substituting, you can use a can of crushed tomatoes if you cannot find imported San Marzano Tomatoes (many stores carry them). We use these tomatoes all the time in a variety of dishes like Grandma Pie Pizza and Italian Egg Casserole.
  • Fresh Basil: Adds flavor and a little freshness. You can add ½ teaspoon of dried basil if you cannot find fresh basil (or if the fresh basil is expensive).
  • Salt: Balances and brings out flavor.
  • Farro: Look for a small bag of quick-cook farro. Adds a nutty, toasty flavor.
  • Cannellini Beans: Rinsed and drained, adds texture and makes the dish even more filling. These beans are also great in soup, like Fagioli Soup.
  • Parmesan: Freshly grated, I recommend you grate the parmesan yourself. I love the parmesan at Trader Joe's because the flavor is not too strong and it's not too expensive.
  • Burrata: Melts into the sauce and is so so good.

📝 How to Make this Italian Farro Dish

Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make this Italian Farro Dish.

*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.

Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 1. Saute the Shallot: Bring a large saute pan to medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow to warm through. Add the shallot and saute, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.

Step 2. Cook the Broccoli: Add the broccoli and additional olive oil as needed (so that the pan is not dry) and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Step 3. Cook the Farro: Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook the farro according to the package directions, roughly 10-12 minutes. When straining the farro, reserve 1 cup of the farro cooking liquid (to add to the sauce later).

Step 4. Make the Sauce: Add the can of San Marzano tomatoes to a blender and puree until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add the tomato sauce to the pan with the baby broccoli along with the basil, and salt. Let simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 5. Add the Farro and Beans: Add the farro, reserved cooking liquid, and the cannellini beans. Stir to combine and let warm through.

Step 6. Add the Cheese and Bake: Break the burrata into pieces and arrange on the top of the dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375° F for 8-10 minutes.

🍴 What To Serve With This Dish

  • You can serve this Italian Farro with an easy side salad tossed with an Italian vinaigrette.
  • Serve it with warm crusty bread to sop up any extra sauce.
  • For a simple Italian dessert to pair with this dish, try this Italian Olive Oil Cake.

How to Store and Reheat

To Store: Store any leftovers in a sealed container (preferably microwave-safe) in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To Reheat: Because this contains burrata, it's best to reheat this slowly. Microwave any leftovers at 40% power starting for 1 minute, adding 30 seconds as needed.

Italian Farro FAQs

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, you can make this dish ahead of time, but I recommend adding the cheese and warming it through in the oven right before serving.

Where can I find farro?

Look for quick cook farro in small individual packages roughly 8 oz, typically in the rice/grain section of the grocery store. They should indicate the cooking time on the package anywhere from 8-12 minutes.

Can I add any other veggies or protein?

Yes, absolutely. Feel free to toss in spinach, or green beans. You could add in sweet or spicy Italian sausage, or chicken sausage.

If You're Interested In More Italian Recipes, You May Love These:

  • A slice of lasagna with layers of bolognese, béchamel and bolognese, béchamel, and parmesan between noodles.
    Lasagna without Ricotta
  • Eggs Baked in Tomato Sauce in a white square baker on wooden background.
    Eggs Baked in Tomato Sauce
  • A bowl of Italian meatballs in a tomato sauce topped with grated parmesan cheese with a crusty sourdough loaf and extra parmesan cheese nearby.
    Easy Dutch Oven Italian Meatballs
  • The finished Chicken Cacciatore in a Dutch Oven.
    Chicken Cacciatore with San Marzano Tomato Sauce

If you tried this  Italian Farro Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear your feedback

Italian Farro

Italian Farro is a dish made with farro, baby broccoli, and cannellini beans in a light tomato sauce topped with melted parmesan cheese and burrata.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Author Lauren Skardal
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 147 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 bunch baby broccoli, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 28oz can San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 small bunch fresh basil, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 8.8oz bag of 10-minute quick cook farro
  • 1 cup farro cooking liquid
  • 1 15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed
  • ½ cup grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
  • 8oz burrata

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add the olive oil and shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the baby broccoli and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Add the can of San Marzano tomatoes to a blender and blend until smooth, just a few seconds. Add to the pan, then add the basil and salt. Stir occasionally and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375° F.
  • Separately (this can be done while preparing the sauce), bring a pot of water to a boil and add the quick-cook farro. Cook for 12 minutes or according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
  • Add the farro, 1 cup cooking liquid, and cannellini beans to the tomato sauce and stir to combine.
  • Top with ½ cup grated parmesan cheese and the burrata broken up into pieces and placed in dollops on top of the farro dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 879IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and share a photo on instagram and tag @elleandpear or #elleandpear. I'd absolutely love to hear from you and see what you're making!

More Homemade Family Friendly Recipes With Real Ingredients

  • A Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad in a tan speckled wide low bowl with a container of Balsamic Vinaigrette in the background.
    Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • Protein Pasta Salad on a white serving plate with white ceramic handles.
    Protein Pasta Salad
  • A stack of Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles topped with butter, pecans, and dripping maple syrup.
    Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles
  • A slice of Ricotta Cherry Cake topped with whipped cream and a single cherry.
    Ricotta Cherry Cake

Reader Interactions

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Lauren sitting at table in Tuscany with a glass of wine, charcuterie and rolling green hills and winery in the background.

I'm Lauren, I've worked in Finance, earned an MBA, and lived and traveled throughout Europe and the US. I love to cook and bake, and bring our family together around the table. Recipes shared here are real family recipes with real fresh ingredients inspired by our travels.

More about me →

Summer Recipes

  • A bowl of Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes, Crispy Prosciutto, and creamy buratta.
    Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta With Burst Cherry Tomatoes
  • A two layer Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake with lemon curd filling and mascarpone fosting.
    Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake
  • A Lemon Meringue Pie Cookie with a bite taken out of it on a white marble serving board with a cookie in the foreground and background.
    Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies
  • A Spanish Salad including mixed greens, olives, orange segments, kumquats, and toasted almonds on a patterened plate.
    Spanish Salad
  • Raspberry Lemon Loaf cross section with lemon glaze dripping over a slice with lemons and raspberries for garnish.
    Raspberry Lemon Loaf
  • A white plate filled with Pasta with Pancetta and Peas on a white and grey striped napkin with crusty bread, white wine, and basil surrounding the plate.
    Pasta with Pancetta and Peas

Most Popular

  • Banana Bread in square baking dish on a light background.
    Banana Bread without a Loaf Pan
  • A potato and rosemary pizza on a white background with three slices cut surrounded by rosemary garnish.
    Potato and Rosemary Pizza
  • Overhead shot of slices of lemon pie without meringue on white plates with pink flowers and the remaining pie above.
    Lemon Pie Without Meringue
  • Thick slices of banana bread covered in a white maple glaze on a light background.
    Banana Bread Glaze
  • Thick slices of banana bread with streusel topping on a white serving board surrounded by crumbs.
    Banana Bread with Streusel Topping
  • Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Cookies stacked on top of each other showing the insides of the cookies and the melted chocolate chips.
    Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Cookies

Footer

Search for a recipe or travel destination

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Footer

↑ back to top

Recipes

  • Breakfast
  • Sides & Appetizers
  • Soup
  • Main Dish
  • Dessert

Travel

  • US
  • California
  • Europe
  • Spain

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

COPYRIGHT © 2025 ELLE & PEAR

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.