Recipe: Italian Farro & Vegetable Bake

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This recipe is wonderful for so many reasons- it is easy, delicious, hides veggies for little eaters and is fabulous hot or cold. You can serve this as a main course or side dish and it feeds a crowd!

I have been playing with grains a lot lately and keep on coming back to Farro.

Farro boasts a nutty flavor and has a great, almost chewy texture. Its is high in fiber and protein and rich in magnesium and B vitamins. It has a good bite to it, is a slower digesting carbohydrate and keeps me good and full for a long time. I also love that it cooks in just 15 minutes- such a great weeknight grain to work with.

Farro is in the wheat family and is not suitable if you are gluten sensitive so substitute quinoa here if you need to.

This recipe marries my love of vegetables, italian flavors, beans, cheese and farro. I hope that you all love it as much as I do!

Italian Farro and Vegetable Bake

*serves 6-8

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups cooked farro (cooked in vegetable broth)
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 zucchini, diced
  • 1 summer squash, diced
  • 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, diced
  • 2 cups spinach, rough chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1.5 cups (15 oz can) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp. herbs de provence
  • 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers, chopped
  • 1/4 cup basil, rough chopped
  • 1/2 cup fontina cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, grated
  • 1/8 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Prepare farro according to package instructions, substituting vegetable broth for water.IMG_8172IMG_8159
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degreees, lightly grease a 9×11 pan with coconut or olive oil.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Sautee until translucent and tender, about 8 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for an additional minute.
  5. Place the zucchini, squash and mushrooms in the pan and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add the spinach and sautee until wilted, about 2 minutes.
  7. Scoop tomato paste into the pan and mix it all together until the mixture is completely covered in the tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  8. Add the beans, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and herbs de provence. Simmer on medium/low for 10 minutes and stir occasionally.IMG_8161
  9. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. If you like heat, add crushed red pepper flakes.
  10. In a large bowl combine the cooked farro, skillet vegetable mixture, roasted red bell pepper, basil, fontina and gruyere cheese. Stir until combined. Taste for additional seasoning needs and add salt or pepper if needed.IMG_8162IMG_8164
  11. Pour the mixture into the prepared 9×11 pan and top with the parmesan cheese. IMG_8168
  12. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Screen Shot 2016-04-20 at 9.41.57 AM
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