Roasted Vegetables with Farro and Kale

Since I mentioned this dish on my WIAW this week, I couldn’t wait to share the recipe with you guys – but I had to share the perfect granola recipe first!

My body seems to be craving vegetables after the prolonged indulgence of the holidays.  I sampled a farro dish at an event around Thanksgiving, and was eager to try and recreate it at home.  When I saw farro available in my store’s bulk bins, I was excited to experiment with it.

The appearance of farro is similar to a wheat berry/brown rice hybrid, but the cooked flavor was nutty and the texture was chewy – making it seem more substantial than a dish with a quinoa or rice base.

I considered a sweet version with craisins and goat cheese, but ended up going more savory with parmesan, toasted walnuts, and balsamic.  A grain as tasty and nutritious as farro can really be used so many different ways – after the tasty results of this first experiment, I plan to make it on a regular basis. 

The farro took about 35 minutes to cook, and about tripled in quantity.

The nuts were toasted on the stove top, which intensifies their flavor and adds healthy fats to the dish.

I chose red pepper, sweet potato, and onion for my roasted veggies – but go ahead and use whatever you have on hand.  

Roasted Vegetables with Farro and Kale [adapted from this recipe]

• 1 cup farro, dry
• 2.5 cups water
• 2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 tsp thyme (I used dried)
• 2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
• 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped (I used a yellow onion)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup of walnuts, lightly toasted & chopped
• 1 head / 3 cups greens (I used kale)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
• ~ 1 Tbsp balsamic glaze (or 2 tsp balsamic vinegar + 2 tsp honey)

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bring farro, water, and 1 tsp salt to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cover for 40-50 minutes, until desired consistency is reached / water is absorbed.
3. While farro cooks, chop potatoes, pepper, and onion into even-sized pieces (about 1 inch).  Toss with remaining teaspoon of salt, thyme, and olive oil, and spread in a single layer on a sprayed baking sheet.
4. Bake vegetables on middle rack, and flip every 15 minutes until slightly browned (mine took about 40 minutes).
5. Steam or saute greens until cooked down.  I separated the kale, tore it into small pieces, and steamed it for about 2 minutes.
6. Drain farro and stir in roasted vegetables, nuts, greens, and parmesan.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
7. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.
8. Serves 4-6 as a side dish, 3-4 as a main dish.

This was my first time prepping farro and only the second time I’ve experimented with kale, but I was really happy with the results.  There are so many different layers of flavor that work really well together in this dish.  It looks all fancy-pants, but really is simple – just takes some time for the veggies and farro to cook.

Were you ever intimidated by a recipe or ingredient that turned out to be really simple?

You have until 4pm EST to enter my Chobani giveaway – don’t forget!  I will announce the winner tonight or tomorrow.