Coconut Mango Breakfast Farro Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does farro need to be soaked before cooking? ›

Soak Farro

As we've already discussed, soaking whole farro or semi-pearled farro will speed up the cooking time significantly - although it's not necessary. If you have the forethought, add the farro to a bowl of water and soak it overnight in the refrigerator.

Because our dry farro is lightly scratched (also sometimes called "semi pearled farro" or "pearled farro") it's technically not considered a whole grain. A small percentage of the bran has been lost during this process but the benefit is the quicker cooking time.

Pearled farro has its bran removed, making it the easiest and quickest to cook. Semi-pearled: This type of farro is not as readily available as pearled. The bran is partially but not completely removed, meaning it takes longer to cook than pearled.

These grains are a force to be reckoned with. While both provide excellent sources of fiber and protein, farro tops the charts and offers almost double the value compared to the same size serving of quinoa. However, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids along with antioxidants.

Farro is an extremely nutritious grain. It's an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients like magnesium, zinc and some B vitamins. It's a much healthier alternative to white rice or other refined grains.

A 45-gram serving of pearled farro provides 150 calories, most of which are carbohydrates. You'll consume 29 grams of carbohydrate in a 1/3 cup serving, 3 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of sugar. The rest of the carbohydrate in farro is starch.

Per serving, farro has the same amount of protein as quinoa, but nearly double the amount of protein of both white and brown rice. Out of the four, farro also has the most fiber (quinoa and brown rice have 5 grams per serving, while white rice has half a gram).

But when it comes to protein and fiber, farro (shown above, it's also called emmer) and Kamut (the brand name of a grain also known as Khorasan or Oriental wheat) are the clear winners. Per ½-cup serving, farro delivers more protein (about 3.5 g) and fiber (about 3.5 g) than brown rice.

Also, be advised that farro contains gluten. If you have celiac disease or are otherwise gluten intolerant, avoid the grain. As you may have guessed, you'll also want to sidestep farro if you have a wheat allergy.

(Whole un-pearled farro has the entire husk and bran. It has the most nutrients and the strongest flavor and requires about 35-45 minutes to cook. On the opposite side of the farro spectrum, Trader Joe's “10 Minute Farro” is semi-pearled and partially pre-cooked; it requires only 10 to 12 minutes of cooking.

How do you pronounce farro? ›

er, farro. Pronunciation: [FAHR. -oh].

Luckily, incorporating anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains into your diet can help tame chronic inflammation. Our top whole-grain pick for inflammation is farro, since it's packed with fiber and antioxidants while also being a versatile pantry staple.

Although farro is a relatively healthy grain, it's important to remember that, like all grains, farro is relatively high in carbohydrates. Sticking to appropriate ¼ cup portion sizes of farro can prevent you from overindulging in carbohydrates for the day.

Farro originated in the Fertile Crescent, where it has been found in the tombs of Egyptian kings and is said to have fed the Roman Legions. Italians have dined on farro for centuries.

If you are using whole farro, you can soak for a few hours or overnight. Place farro in a bowl or pot and enough water to cover the grain, then cover with a lid. Refrigerate and soak for a few hours or overnight before cooking. Note that if you soak farro, it will only require 10-15 minutes of simmering.

Drain, then spread onto a large plate or sheet pan to cool and dry for 20 minutes. This keeps it from continuing to steam which makes it mushy.

Raw grains may be eaten whole as a breakfast food if soaked overnight. Whole farro may be flaked and used as a breakfast cereal or added to baked goods.