Golden Beet Farrotto – A Creamy, Saucy, Toothsome Golden Risotto Made with Farro
Intrigued by the name farrotto, I knew at some point I’d give farro-risotto (farrotto) a try. Since farro (pronounced FAR-roh) releases starch as it cooks and maintains a chewy al dente texture, it substitutes well for the traditional risottos 
prepared with either carnaroli or arborio rice. Actually, farro’s sturdier texture, makes a more nourishing and toothsome risotto. I’ve enjoyed delicious Golden Beet Farrotto with Greens, Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs (recipe) for dinner, lunch and even breakfast.
Farro becomes farrotto becomes Golden Beet Farrotto Thank you, Steve Dunn for sharing these 2 keys for making farrotto.
- By quickly cracking the farro in the blender, more of its
starches are released. Resulting in a thicker, creamier, sauce. . .just like risotto. - Adding the majority of the stock in the beginning makes for a super easy dish without being tied to the stove throughout the process.
Then, I discovered that a one-pot Golden Beet Farrotto is possible. As the diced beets cook and become tender in the same amount of time that farro needs to become tender. Nice.
A word on gluten and farro
While not gluten-free, some gluten-sensitive individuals (like me) can enjoy farro 
because of its low gluten content and different gluten structure than regular wheat.
Farro is not recommended, though, for those who are gluten intolerant.
Now you know
There is a difference between vegetable Stock and vegetable broth. Culinarily speaking, once a stock has been seasoned, it becomes a broth.
Learn more about farro
Italians use the name farro for emmer wheat, a non-hybridized, heirloom strain of hard wheat. In the region around Tuscany, Italians have continued to grow farro because of its nutrition, flavor and plump and chewy texture. Nutritionally, farro is a rich source of protein, fiber, magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin E.
Golden Beet Farrotto with Greens, Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs
- No need to peel the golden beets as long as you scrub them well.
- Larger beets are easier to work with and have less waste than would a number of smaller beets.
- Larger beets may or may not be less tender and require a longer cooking time in step 6. Be sure to test a few of the diced beets before continuing with the recipe.
- Golden Beet Farrotto leftovers are delicious warm or right out of the fridge.
- Inspired by Steve Dunn of Cooks’ Illustrated.
Makes 6 servings Printer-Friendly Recipe
Total time 1 hour
Ingredients
6 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 ½ cups farro perlato (pearled or semi-pearled farro), unrinsed
1 ¼ cups ¼-inch diced onion (1 medium onion)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
2 large cloves garlic, put through a garlic press or finely minced
1 ¼ pounds golden beets, ½ -inch diced (3 ½ – 4 cups)
1 ¾ teaspoons salt, divided
4 cups lightly packed, thinly sliced beet greens or Swiss chard. Stems removed and saved for another use.
2 ½ ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled into 1-inch chunks (scant ½ cup)
1 ½ ounces grated Pecorino Romano (rounded ½ cup)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (2-3 teaspoons)
12 twists freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Bring the stock to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Place the farro in a blender. Pulse the farro on high 4 or more times until about half of the farro is broken into smaller pieces.
- Heat the oil or butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Stir in the diced onion. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Raise the heat to medium. Stir in the farro, stirring and lightly toasting it for about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the diced golden beets, 6 cups of the stock and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Raise
the heat to high bringing the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to just below medium low, for a gentle simmer. Cook covered for 25-30 minutes or until the beets are tender, stirring twice. - While the farro and beets cook, prepare the greens, rosemary, oregano, parley, cheeses and lemon zest.
- Once the beets are tender, stir in ¾ teaspoon of salt, freshly ground pepper and the greens. Cook, uncovered over medium heat, stirring continuously
until the greens are tender and the farrotto creamy, 5 minutes. Golden Beet Farrotto should be loose. If necessary, add the additional ½ cup of stock to loosen the texture. - Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir in the fresh herbs, cheeses and lemon zest, stirring until the cheeses melt. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. To maintain its loose texture, serve Golden Beet Risotto with Greens, Goat Cheese and Fresh Herbs immediately.