Instant Pot Farro

This Instant Pot Farro recipe is perfectly tender and fluffy every time! It is a completely separate method of cooking this whole grain.

Would you like to cook a pot of farro? If you have a pressure cooker, it’s perfect for whole grains. And this Instant Pot Farro comes out perfectly tender and fluffy every time! As we’ve already confessed, Alex and I were skeptical about Instant Pot. Yeah, we didn’t think this gadget was worth our time. But we discovered that you can cook all kinds of veggies, grains, and beans in your Instant Pot, which is great if you’re a mostly vegetarian or plant-based diet like us!

We’ve perfected the Instant Pot methods for grains like quinoa, brown rice, and white rice. And now we have this method for Farro! You can use it as a healthy side dish or as part of a larger meal. We made it for this mushroom and parmesan farro and it was unbelievable. Ready to cook?! (Uh, pressure cooker?)

What is Faro?

Farro is a whole grain that is chewy and has a texture similar to barley. You can buy this primordial grain whole, semi-pearlized or mother-of-pearl; Pearl Wheat Seeds takes the least amount of time to cook and is probably what you will find at the store. You can cook farro on the stovetop, but it cooks just as well in an Instant Pot. If you buy whole or semi-pearlled, you’ll cook the farro a little faster, you can soak it for an hour or overnight to speed things up. However, we recommend using perl farro in your farro recipes.

When Alex and I started eating farro 10 years ago, it was a little hard to find. These days, you can find farro at your local grocery store or online.

You understand! Grab a bag of farro.

Is farro gluten free?

Farro is made from wheat, so it is not gluten free. Be sure to avoid farro if you are on a strict gluten-free diet. If you are looking for a gluten-free farro substitute, you can use any of the following:

How to Make Instant Pot Farro (Basic Steps)

Fact: Instant pot farro is no faster than the stovetop method. why do we love it It’s completely hands-free, which means you don’t have to hold it on the stovetop like a regular pan. It also frees up the stove so you can use it to cook the main meal. It might not sound revolutionary, but Alex and I love tossing cereal in the Instant Pot and then focusing on the rest of the meal.

Here are the basic steps to making an Instant Pot Farro:

1. In the Instant Pot, add farro, water, and salt.
2. Pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.
3. Natural release for 7 minutes. Open the Instant Pot and drain excess liquid.

And that’s it! It’s a terribly simple method: and it’s easy to remember too!

How to serve Farro

How do I serve farro? We like to use it as a simple side dish, but you can also use it as part of a main course. Here are some of our favorite ways to use Farro:

1. With herbs as a side dish: If using as a side dish, season with garlic and herbs like in this basic Farro recipe. Serve with salmon or shrimp.
2. In the salad: This farro salad combines chewy grains with crunchy veggies and a zesty dressing.
3. With mushrooms & parmesan: This Mushroom Farro is just WOW.
4. Use instead of rice. Season the farro with salt and use in place of rice with a curry or stir-fry.
5. In a grain bowl: This Roasted Farro Vegetable Salad is packed with tender roasted veggies and melty cheese.
6. In a soup: Toss fluffy farro in a soup like this Farro Brussels Sprouts Soup. You don’t even have to cook it!

This Instant Pot Farro recipe is…

Vegetarian, plant-based, dairy-free and vegan.