Grains, rice & flours · Whole grains
Farro
Hulled ancient wheat grains, usually emmer; chewy and nutty, they hold their shape in soups and salads.
Also called: emmer
What it is
Farro is the Italian name for three hulled wheats: einkorn (farro piccolo), emmer (farro medio, the usual one) and spelt (farro grande). The plump brown grains stay chewy and separate after cooking. It is sold whole, semi-pearled (quicker) or pearled (quickest). All forms are wheat and contain gluten.
Triticum dicoccum (emmer)
How it’s used
- Farro salads with vegetables and cheese
- Tuscan farro and bean soups
- Farrotto, a risotto-style dish
- Grain bowls
Characteristics
- Taste
- Nutty, slightly sweet.
- Texture
- Firm, chewy, separate grains.
- When cooked
- Pearled farro cooks in 15–20 minutes; whole farro benefits from soaking and takes much longer.
- Sold as
- whole
- Cooking uses
- Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling
- Common in
- Italian, Mediterranean, American
Storage
Pantry-stable. Airtight in a cool, dry cupboard.
Diet, allergens and safety
Contains Wheat, Gluten.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Caffeine-free
- Contains wheat and gluten; unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or a wheat allergy.
Nutrition per 100 g
- Energy
- 127 kcal
- Protein
- 5.5 g
- Carbohydrate
- 26.44 g
- Fat
- 0.85 g
- Fibre
- 3.9 g
- Sugars
- — g
USDA FoodData Central: Spelt, cooked (a close stand-in).
Substitutes
Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.
- Pearl barley — Pearl barley works in soups and salads; softer and starchier.
- Whole wheat berries — Firmer; needs longer cooking.
Related ingredients
Recipes with farro
Insalata di farro
Italian · 1 h · 301 kcal · Vegetarian
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