Farro with Roasted Cauliflower and Cabbage

Farro with Roasted Cauliflower and Cabbage is a make-ahead winter dish, fancy enough for company, easy enough for weeknight supper. Leftovers reheat quickly in the microwave.

Farro is a favorite of ours because of its fool-proof chewiness and versatility. We suggest you make a big pot and keep it in the refrigerator for pumping up your meals all week long. With farro and any leftover cooked vegetable in the fridge, you’ve got a quick lunch ready to eat. And you can’t beat it with scrambled with eggs and zucchini, almost like Italian-style fried rice. 

Best of all, farro is an ideal make-ahead side dish for company because it’s a little exotic and out of the ordinary. We recently scored with Farro with Roasted Cauliflower and Cabbage. It was the show-off side served with crispy Shelf Chicken and Salsa Verde. A nice green salad and boom, a fantastic dinner with friends.  

Farro with Roasted Cauliflower and Cabbage is a toss-it-all-together recipe that couldn’t be easier, a fantastic mix of the grain with sautéed onion, the lightly charred vegetables that we roasted in the oven first, Gruyère cheese and toasted hazelnuts. Cover the casserole and set in on the counter to reheat just before its time to serve.

How to Cook Farro

Cooking farro is a painless, inexact science. Unlike brown rice where the ratio of water to rice is critical, farro simmers in plenty of boiling salted water like pasta. It couldn’t be easier. Cook until pleasantly al dente and drain. In the supermarket, you’ll most likely find pearled farro, which takes about 20 minutes to cook. Just follow the package directions. We don’t measure the water, just cover the farro with about 1 inch of water, add a generous pinch of salt, and simmer at a low boil.

Farro with Roasted Cauliflower and Cabbage

minmerrell Farro with Roasted Cauliflower and Cabbage is a home run make ahead side dish for impressive entertaining. Sides Farro with Roasted Cauliflower and Cabbage European Print This

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups farro
• 1 small or 1/2 large green cabbage cut into 1-inch thick slices, core removed
• 1 medium head cauliflower, leaves and core removed, cut into 1-inch slices or medium florets
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts or almonds
• Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

Cook the farro in simmering water until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Arrange the cabbage on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Turn the pieces so it's all lightly coated and shiny. Sprinkle with salt.
Roast the cauliflower on another baking sheet just like the cabbage. Stir, turn the vegetables once during cooking. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees about 30 minutes, until lightly charred and tender.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a few minutes. Cut the cabbage and cauliflower into easy to eat pieces. You should have about 3 cups each. Amounts are really not that critical.
Cook the onion in about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until tender. Add the garlic and continue to cook a couple of minutes more.
Stir in the cooked farro (about 3 cups).
Add the roasted vegetables. Blend well.
Pour the vegetable mixture into a large 3-quart greased casserole. Stir in the cheese and nuts. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Set aside at room temperature for a few hours if you like and reheat the dish when you are ready. Cover lightly with foil and bake at 350 about 30 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with fresh parsley, if you like.
Leftovers heat well in the microwave.