Farro, Mushroom, and Egg Grain Bowls Recipe

Name: Farro, Mushroom, and Egg Grain Bowls
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: For the mushroom farro; 3 cups vegetable broth, plus more if needed; 1 cup semi-pearled farro; 1 tablespoon canola oil; 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned, thinly sliced, and divided; 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium onion, finely diced; 4 cloves garlic, finely minced; For the herb yogurt; 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt; 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely minced; 1 small garlic clove, grated or finely minced; 3 tablespoons water; Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste; For the fried eggs; 4 large eggs; 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil; Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste

In This Recipe

About Cooking with Farro
Tips for Buying Farro
Frying Eggs to Perfection
Mix and Match the Vegetables
A Working Lunch

I'm a huge fan of farro, a chewy, nutty grain. This lunch features farro cooked with earthy mushrooms, a fried egg, and a tangy herb yogurt. It is a hearty, nourishing, and balanced vegetarian meal and just what you need to get you through the workday.

About Cooking with Farro

Farro is an ancient grain with a nutty, earthy flavor and a slightly chewy texture. Not to be confused with spelt, farro is a versatile option for salads, stews, risottos, and grain bowls. Here, farro simmers in a flavorful base of mushrooms and vegetable stock until tender in a sort of simplified risotto fashion.

Make the Farro in an Instant Pot!

Tips for Buying Farro

There are three types of farro: whole (unpearled or whole grain), pearled, and semi-pearled. Whole farro has both the bran and germ of the grain intact, so it takes the longest to cook and requires an overnight soak. With pearled farro, the bran has been removed and cooks more quickly—usually within 15 minutes. Semi-pearled retains some bran, so the cooking time is closer to 30 minutes.

In this recipe, I call for semi-pearled farro. One tip I learned from Smitten Kitchen is that the packaging does not always label the type of farro. Instead, look for a package with cooking times between 25 and 30 minutes as that is most likely to be semi-pearled.

Regardless, I recommend tasting the farro after 25 minutes and adjusting the cook time as needed. If the grains are not fully cooked, but the liquid has fully evaporated, you can add an additional 1/2 cup of liquid at a time and continue simmering.

Frying Eggs to Perfection

Everyone has their method and preference for frying eggs. I love a crispy fried egg, so I will often fry the egg over medium heat. I recommend a non-stick pan to prevent any accidental sticking. If you're a fan of a classic fried egg, I highly recommend following this recipe for how to fry an egg.

Bringing your lunch to work? Just undercook the egg slightly, then reheat in the microwave under a damp paper towel in 15-second intervals until warmed through. Alternatively, just skip the egg! It'll still taste great without it.

Farro, Mushroom, and Egg Grain Bowls with a Fork — Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Mix and Match the Vegetables

Not a fan of cremini mushrooms? Here are a few substitutions.

Tear your favorite variety of wild mushrooms into bite-sized pieces before searing.
Slice eggplant into rounds and pan-sear until nicely browned.
Dice butternut squash and pan-sear until browned and caramelized.

Tip Box

If you already have some leftover roasted veggies, you can use them instead of the mushrooms and skip the sautéing step.

A Working Lunch

All three components can be made ahead for a working lunch at home or in the office. If working from home, you can make the mushroom farro and yogurt ahead of time. Just before serving, reheat the farro in the microwave and fry the eggs.

If you're bringing this lunch into the office, store the farro and mushrooms, eggs, and yogurt in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Just before serving, reheat the farro and mushrooms in the microwave, then reheat the eggs. Dollop a bit of yogurt on top and dig in!

Farro, Mushroom, and Egg Grain Bowl with a Utensil — Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

More Grain Bowls for Lunch!

Farro, Mushroom, and Egg Grain Bowls

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 55 mins

Total Time 70 mins

Servings 4 servings

This recipe calls for semi-pearled farro. One tip I learned from Smitten Kitchen is that the packaging does not always label the type of farro. Instead, look for package instructions with cooking times between 25 and 30 minutes—they are likely semi-pearled farro.

For the mushroom farro

3 cups vegetable broth, plus more if needed
1 cup semi-pearled farro (See Recipe Note)
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned, thinly sliced, and divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced

For the herb yogurt

1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
1 small garlic clove, grated or finely minced
3 tablespoons water
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

For the fried eggs

4 large eggs
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Soak the farro:

In a medium bowl, pour in the farro and vegetable broth. Let soak while you cook the mushrooms.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Sear the mushrooms:

Tip Box

The next two steps involve cooking the mushrooms in two batches, one pan-seared and one sauteed; I like the combination in texture and flavor of the mushrooms from both methods.

Set a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add in the canola oil. When the oil shimmers, add about half of the mushrooms and sear on one side for 5 minutes until the bottoms are nicely browned.

Resist the urge to stir the mushrooms, as this helps give a nice sear. Use tongs to flip them, then sear on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes until browned. Remove from the pan and season with 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Sauté the remaining mushrooms and aromatics:

Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the olive oil. Sauté the remaining mushrooms, onion, and garlic for 8 to 10 minutes (or until the onions are soft and translucent). Add another 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper to the mixture, then stir in the rest of the mushrooms.
Cook the farro:

Pour the soaked farro and vegetable broth into the pot with the onions, garlic, and cooked mushrooms. Be sure to scrape up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Let the farro simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the grains feel tender but still have a slight chew.

Stir occasionally, and if you notice that the water is level is too low, you can add an additional 1/2 cup of broth at a time. Taste and season again with salt and pepper, if needed. Turn the heat off, then place the lid on to keep warm.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Make the herb yogurt:

While the farro cooks, prepare the yogurt. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, parsley, garlic, and water. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Fry the eggs:

Just before serving, fry the eggs. Crack two eggs into a small bowl and set them aside. Also, set aside two plates.

Set a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, carefully pour the eggs into the skillet.

Cook for 1 minute, watching as the egg begins to blister and bubble. Place the lid on the pan for 1 to 2 minutes or until whites are set. Season with salt and black pepper.

Use a non-stick spatula to transfer to the plate and cover with the other plate to keep warm.

Crack the remaining two eggs in the bowl, add another 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, and repeat the frying process.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Assemble grain bowl:

To serve, divide the mushroom farro among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with an egg and a dollop of herb yogurt. Serve warm.

Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
Storage:

Store leftover mushroom farro, herb yogurt, and eggs in separate airtight containers in the fridge. The mushroom farro will last up to 4 days, garlic yogurt will last 3 to 4 days, and eggs will last 3 days.

Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
385	Calories
23g	Fat
29g	Carbs
18g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	385
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g	30%
Saturated Fat 5g	24%
Cholesterol 193mg	64%
Sodium 1289mg	56%
Total Carbohydrate 29g	11%
Dietary Fiber 4g	15%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 13mg	65%
Calcium 135mg	10%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 653mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.