Learn the simple hands-free method for cooking farro in the slow cooker.
Video: How To Cook Farro Using Three Different Methods:
What Is Farro?
Farro is an ancient grain that has been around longer than any other grain, in fact. It might even be the grain from which all others derive.
In terms of nutrition, farro is high in protein, fiber, and B Complex vitamins and it’s relatively low in gluten.
When cooked, farro looks a bit like barley but is chewier, in a good way. That chewy texture remains even after long-cooking so it’s great in soups and stews where it never seems to soak up too much liquid and disintegrate, the way rice or barley sometimes do.
Do You Need To Rinse Or Soak Farro Before Cooking?
No soaking is required. You can speed up the cooking time for farro by soaking it in cool water, but this is not necessary when doing cooking it in the slow cooker.
No rinsing is required. Unlike quinoa, farro doesn’t have a bad-tasting residue on the outside of the grains. Rinsing is therefore not necessary for the flavor. As with cooking rice in the Instant Pot, when cooking farro in the Instant Pot it is necessary to rinse it so that all of the grains are damp and separated before being hit by high heat. For the slow cooker this is unnecessary because the grains will be gradually warming as the moisten fully.
Other Ways To Cook Farro
What To Make With Farro
I really love farro in soup. Here’s a recipe for Beef and Farro Soup that I particularly love. I also often use farro instead of potatoes in this Zuppa Toscana Recipe. Have a look at all of my soup recipes (there are over 70 of them!) for other ideas where farro can be used.
It’s also great as a side dish on its own seasoned with garlic powder and drizzled with olive oil. Or, make it even better by stirring in some cheese. One of my favorite farro side dish recipes is this one for Farro With Cream Cheese and Spinach. For more delicious side dish ideas, head over here for over 100 delicious side dish recipes.
Really, anything you can do with rice, you can do with farro. Have a look at the Special Fried Farro Recipe over here, for an example.
Enjoy! -Christine xo
PrintHow to Cook Farro in the Slow Cooker
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 2 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
Learn the simple hands-free method for cooking farro in the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 cup farro
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. butter or olive oil (optional)
- 4 cups water, stock or a combination of both
Instructions
- Measure all ingredients into a slow cooker.
- Cook on high until farro is softened, about 2 hours. Depending on the type of farro you have, the water may or may not have been absorbed. Drain any liquid that’s left or use it in a soup, stew or sauce.