Autumn Vegetable Farrotto is a whole-grain, one-pot wonder loaded with fall produce, parmesan, and thyme. This rustic vegetarian main is weeknight-friendly and perfect for the cooler weather months. 
Of all the creamy rice or pasta dishes out there, risotto is my all-time favorite–especially when it comes time to showcase the glories of fall produce.
In this spin on classic risotto, we use whole-grain farro, which has a delightfully nutty flavor and toothsome texture.
Because every one could use an extra dose of whole grains in their day. 😉
In the fall vegetable lineup, we’ve got butternut squash (excellent source of eye-healthy vitamin A), Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and red onion, all of which work in deliciously harmony to add depth and bright vegetal sweetness to the farro.
As the butternut squash cooks, it starts to break down and release its starchy goodness into the farro, lending extra creaminess to the dish.
And perhaps the best part of this dish? You only need ONE POT. No pre-roasting required.
Like risotto, farrotto requires some special treatment to maximize its goodness. If you dump in all of the vegetable broth at once, you’re just boiling farro and you’ll miss out on that luxurious creaminess that keeps us going in for seconds.
By gradually adding broth, you allow the grains to bump up against each other, creating that creamy starch.
You also want to make sure you’re stirring it occasionally, but not too often. You want to allow the grains to rub against each other, which generates the starch, but avoid mixing too much air into the grains. 
Lastly, keep the stock at a simmer in a separate pan so everything stays hot and cooks evenly. Adding cool stock to the hot grains will chill everything down too much and interfere with the cooking process.
Like pasta, the farro should be al dente–just cooked, with a little bite to it. Overcooking lends to a gummy, mush texture. No thank you.
This dish is seriously a hug in a bowl. It holds up beautifully for leftovers, so feel free to make a batch on Sunday and enjoy it for lunch throughout the week. I even had it for breakfast this morning with a poached egg on top. Heaavvven.
I could marry it.
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
- 2 cups halved Brussels sprouts
- 1 red onion, sliced into ½-inch strips
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup dry farro
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 32 ounces reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 Tbsp. pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add butternut squash; cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash starts to soften. Add Brussels sprouts, red onion, and mushrooms; cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Add farro and thyme; cook 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Bring broth to a simmer over medium heat in a saucepan.
- Add broth mixture in 1-cup increments, stirring occasionally, cooking until the liquid is almost completely absorbed before adding the next cup, about 45 minutes total. (The farro should be at a medium simmer throughout cooking.) Remove pan from heat; remove and discard thyme stems, and stir in Parmesan. Divide farrotto evenly among 6 shallow bowls; top evenly with pumpkin seeds.
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