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A white bowl of cooked farro on a white background with a serving board and a pinch of salt.

How to Cook Farro

Learn how to cook farro perfectly every time using my simple stovetop pasta method. This easy recipe shows you how long to cook farro for the perfect chewy texture, plus my best tips for storing, freezing, and using cooked farro in salads, grain bowls, soups, and more.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
cooling time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine lebanese, Mediterranean
Servings 8 servings
Calories 180 kcal

Equipment

  • sieve
  • pot
  • baking sheet

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups farro dried
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  1. First, rinse the dry farro with cold water. Pour the grain into a bowl or jar and swirl it gently for a little bit to give it a good rinse.  To drain the excess water, I've found that a fine mesh sieve or mason jar with a sprouting lid works best.  
  2. Next it's time to cook! Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat and add the olive oil and a little salt.  Pour the rinsed grains into the boiling water.  Cooking times will vary depending on whether you want a chewy texture, or more of an al dente bite.  It is generally recommended to boil for 20 minutes, see the notes below. Other factors to consider are the variety and age of the farro you are using. Personally, I think chewy farro is perfect for salad toppings and grain bowls.
  3. Finally, it's time to dry the grains and transfer them to a baking sheet.  Spread them out in a single layer so they don't stick together while cooling.  It usually takes twenty minutes or so to fully cool.  If you skip this step, the steam and heat generated from the grains being close together will continue the cook time, making them mushy.
  4. When your farro is cool, it can be served right away or stored for later. See the tips below for serving suggestions, how to freeze cooked, farro and store it in the refrigerator.

Notes

Notes

  • This recipe was tested with farro that cooks in about 20 minutes. If your package recommends a longer cooking time, simply keep tasting the farro as it cooks and drain it when it reaches the texture you like.
  • I prefer to cook farro like pasta in plenty of salted water rather than using a specific water-to-grain ratio. It gives you more control over the final texture and makes it easy to drain the grains when they're perfectly tender.
  • Start tasting the farro a few minutes before the recommended cook time. I find 20 minutes gives the perfect tender, slightly chewy texture, but you can cook it a little longer if you prefer softer grains.
  • If you're using the farro in salads or meal prep, spread it on a baking sheet to cool after draining. This stops the cooking process and helps prevent the grains from becoming mushy.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 5gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 295mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 8gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 11IUCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
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