Farro French Onion "Risotto"
As I’ve mentioned a time or two on here, risotto is one of my all time favorite foods!
The other day I was thinking of variations on risotto and I had a brilliant idea…..FARRO. Farro is another one of my all time favorite foods. And then I had a second stroke of brilliance (I’m brilliant and humble)… “French Onion” risotto. I know, I know, I’m a genius.
French onion soup used to be one of my favorite foods before going vegetarian, but most french onion soups are made with beef broth, which is really, really sad. Especially considering every other part of the soup fits my needs. So with this stroke of brilliance, I didn’t JUST stop at french onion risotto or farro risotto. I combined it all *laughs in evil genius* In my opinion, what makes this dish is 2 things. The first, the bouillon. My favorite is Better Than Bouillon “No Chicken” base. I believe they also have a “No Beef” base that would probably be equally amazing, but I stuck to what I know. The second thing that makes this is Trader Joe’s Mushroom Umami Seasoning. That stuff is addicting, and gives food a depth that is usually reserved for meat. It really helps give that beef broth flavor that French onion soup has.
And to top it all off, this is a one pot meal. Ok, ok, I’ve done enough convincing I’m sure you want to make it, so here we go.
First, take care of the “french onion” part of this dish. Add butter and olive oil to a pan large enough to cook your farro in. Once butter and oil are heated, add sliced onions. Once caramelized, add minced garlic, some delicious spices, farro, water and bouillon. Cover, cook, add parmesan and thats it!
Just promise me one thing…. you won’t blame me if you eat the whole pot and are too full to go to work the next day!!
Looks like a risotto, tastes like farro!
Farro French Onion Risotto
Ingredients:
- 3 cups dry farro
- 2 tbsp butter or vegan butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium sweet onions
- 1 small head garlic
- 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon "No Chicken" Base (or veggie broth, but I recommend the bouillon)
- 1/2 cup parmesan or vegan parmesan
- 2 tbsp mushroom umami seasoning (optional, but HIGHLY recommended)
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
Instructions:
- Slice 2 small onions and mince 1 head of garlic.
- Using a large sauce pan, turn stove to medium low. Add olive oil and butter. Once butter melts, add onions. Allow to caramelize to a golden brown. Add garlic to pan.
- Add all spices to the mixture. Once well mixed, add 3 cups farro and about 3/4 cup of water and the bouillon (or broth). Allow this to come to a boil and then turn to low heat.
- Once water is absorbed, taste for done-ness. If the farro is not done, add a bit more water or broth. Repeat this process until the farro is done.
- Taste for seasoning, adding more if you choose. Add parmesan and stir.
- Serve with a side salad or some crusty bread.
