Spring Risotto Recipe with Mushrooms and Farro

Farrotto, or farro risotto, is a nutritious alternative to the traditional recipe with Arborio rice. Farro is a great source of protein, fibre, zinc, and magnesium, and offers a unique bite that is quite refreshing from its rice-y counterpart. While nothing quite says spring like asparagus, the beauty of this dish is that it can be modified with any produce you may have in your home.

The asparagus can be sliced thinly or cut into small pieces. It is added towards the end (about 30 minutes in) while the farro continues to simmer in the delicious broth.

Spring Farrotto

Ingredients

• 2 cups cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ½ white onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 400 grams farro
• 6-8 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into small pieces
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbsp grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• ¼ cup butter, room temperature

Wine not? To take this recipe from weeknight to weekend simply swap out 2 cups of veggie broth and replace with a dry white wine!

Instructions

For the mushrooms:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and combine.
2. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and continue to cook until the mushrooms and onions are golden brown and any moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

For the farro:

1. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat. Add in farro and toast for about 2 minutes, stirring gently so it doesn’t burn.
2. Pour 2 cups of veggie broth into the pan and stir. Once it absorbs, add an additional ½ cup of broth. Continue adding broth as it is absorbed, ½ cup at a time, stirring often. This will take about 40 minutes in total.
3. When the farro is almost done, around the 30 minute mark, add in the asparagus and cooked mushrooms and let simmer.
4. Once farro is cooked to preferred doneness, add in a squeeze of lemon juice, stir, then remove from heat. Stir in Parmigiano Reggiano and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.