Farro with Mushrooms and Crispy Beets
Mushrooms and farro, has ever a better texture combination existed? Topped with crunchy beets, this meal is just an amazing textural experience – juicy mushrooms, buttery farro with just a bit of bite and nice, crispy beets. It was absolute heaven.
This recipe is so, so easy and quick to prepare and leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day (even though the beets won’t be crunchy the next day, it’s totally ok because it still tastes amazing.) This recipe works wonderfully as an entree or as a beautiful side dish to fish or chicken. For a vegan option, simply omit the butter.
Ingredients
1 cup farro
2 cups mixed mushrooms (I used cremini and oyster)
1 or 2 small beets (I used 1 chioggia and 1 baby golden beet)
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
Olive oil and vegetable oil
Instructions
Prep Your Ingredients: Prepare the farro according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Halve the mushrooms (or cut into bite size pieces). Peel and very thinly slice the beets. Roughly chop the parsley leaves. Juice half the lemon. Cut the other half into wedges.
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet, Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until browned and slightly caramelized, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Once the mushrooms are nice and browned, add the lemon juice and all but a few pinches of parsley and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the farro to the skillet and stir gently to combine all the ingredients.
3. Optional step: Add 1 tablespoon of butter and continue to gently stir the farro until the butter has melted and is mixed throughout the farro.
4. Remove the farro from the skillet into a serving bowl. Wipe out the skillet.
5. Add vegetable oil to the skillet until about 1/4 inch deep and heat to medium high. Once the oil is shimmering, add the thinly sliced beets and fry until crispy and beginning to brown on the edges about 2-3 minutes. Once the beets are cooked, remove from the pan. Set the beets aside on a paper-towel lined plate and season with just a touch of salt.
Plate it up: Top the farro with the crispy beets and the remaining parsley. Serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!