Mushroom Farrotto

Name: Mushroom Farrotto
Prep time: 30
Cook time: 65

5 out of 5 stars (based on 6 reviews)

30 min prep

65 min total

4 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

14 ingredients

Mushroom farrotto is a delicious variation on a theme. Farro is a form of wheat. In Italy it’s used in salads, soups, and often used in place of rice as in this easy, tasty dish....

2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in 3 cups of boiling water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cups farro, rinsed, soaked overnight and drained (See Chef Tips)
1 lemon, juiced and mixed with 1/3 cup water
1 cup water or vegetable stock as needed
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon dried Thyme or 1 large sprig of fresh
1 lb Baby Bella or Portabella mushrooms, cut into ¼ “ slices
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional – see Chef Tips)
2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

537 cals

Fat

16 g

Saturated Fat

4 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

3 g

Monounsaturated Fat

9 g

Carbohydrates

88 g

Sugar

14 g

Fiber

15 g

Protein

22 g

Sodium

181 mg

Directions

Soak the dried shitake mushrooms for 30 minutes while you prep the vegetables. Drain, reserving the soak water. Take the soaked mushrooms, discard the woody stems and roughly chop. Set aside. Strain the soak water through a fine sieve. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over a medium high flame. When it shimmers, add the onion, celery, and carrot. Sprinkle with salt and cook stirring until the onion is transparent and the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the drained farro. Cook until the juices in the pan are absorbed. Add lemon-water mixture and mushroom soaking water, and cook until the farro is 'al dente' - tender but still a little chewy – and the water absorbed, about 30 minutes. If the farro is dry but still underdone, add the additional water or stock, a ¼ cup at a time.
Meanwhile, in a sauté pan heat the remaining olive oil over a medium high flame. Add the garlic, shallots and dried thyme. Sauté until the shallots start to color, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped dried mushrooms, cook 1-2 minutes then add the sliced Portabella mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and cook until they wilt, about 5-8 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce until it starts to look syrupy. Cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let the mushrooms sit for 5-10 minutes or until the farro is cooked.
Stir in the sautéed mushrooms and all their juices into the cooked farro. Stir the grated cheese if using. Taste for salt. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Chef Tips

For a vegan or dairy free version, simply leave out the cheese.

Soaking farro overnight helps it to cook faster and with less liquid, but skip this step if preferred, just add another 10-15 minutes to the cook time in step 3. If farro is not available, use brown rice. In step 3, add 1 1/4 cups stock instead of 1 cup. Check for doneness at 30 minutes as it may need up to 10 minutes more to get al dente, especially if not soaking it.

The soak water of dried mushrooms makes a flavorful broth, but because of the sand and grit that gets caught in the gills of the mushrooms, it needs to be strained before use. If a fine sieve is not available, use a sheet of paper towel and carefully pour the soak water through it. Squeeze out any the liquid caught in the towel back into the rest.

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, and videos are reviewed by our oncology-trained dietitians to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society