Mushroom Farro "Risotto"

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• 16 oz Cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 Shallot, minced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Fresh thyme, leaves
• 1 ½ cups Farro (dry), rinsed
• ½ cup Dry white wine
• 4 cups Low-sodium vegetable broth, kept warm
• 5 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 tbsp Unsalted butter
• 1 tsp zest Lemon
• ¼ cup Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• ¾ tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and — this is the important part — do not touch them or salt them for 4 minutes. Let them brown, then toss and brown 4 more minutes. Season, remove, set aside.
2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the last tablespoon of oil, the shallots and a pinch of salt; cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, 45 seconds.
3. Add farro and toast it in the fat for 2 minutes until it smells nutty.
4. Pour in the wine and let it cook away completely, scraping the bottom.
5. Add warm broth a cup at a time, stirring occasionally and adding more as it absorbs — about 30 minutes total. Farro is forgiving; it does not need constant attention like arborio.
6. When the grains are tender with a little chew, stir the mushrooms back in with parmesan, butter and lemon zest. It should be loose enough to spread slowly on the plate. Finish with parsley and a lot of black pepper.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

The lemon zest at the end is what makes people ask what's in it. Do not substitute juice — the oil in the zest is the point.

🧒 For the kids

Most kids will eat the farro plain with parmesan. Set a portion aside before the mushrooms go back in.

🌿 From the garden

Thyme is a perennial here; one plant survives Ohio winters and you snip from it for years.

🥡 Leftovers

Press cold leftovers into patties and pan-fry in olive oil for arancini-adjacent lunch.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.