This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Jump to Section
Have You Tried Farro?
If you’ve never tried farro, one of my favorite ways to use it is in a farro grain bowl. It’s a warm grain bowl made with roasted butternut squash, massaged kale leaves, steamed beats along with pistachios and feta.
I make variations of grain bowls with whatever I have on hand especially during colder months when I want vegetables but in “warm form”. It’s easy to put it together with leftover roasted vegetables and anything you have on hand. This combination though is definitely a keeper. And if you like meals like this, be sure to check out my whole collection of power bowls – bowl meals made with a grain, protein and veggies!
Farro Grain Bowl Ingredients
- Farro: It’s an ancient that’s nutty and reminds me of barley. Grab my tips for how to cook farro. And feel free to substitute with any other grain like quinoa.
- Kale: I like some leafy greens here that can hold up to the heat of roasted butternut squash. You can also use spinach. Avoid lettuce which can wilt.
- Butternut squash: When it’s in season, butternut squash is great in warm salads, but you can swap it for any other squash or roasted sweet potatoes.
- Beets: Cook your beets before adding to your farro grain bowl or buy pre-cooked ones like I did!
- Pistachios: Pistachios add a great crunch but any other nuts or seeds are great substitutes.
- Feta cheese: Creamy and tangy to balance the sweet and salty. Feel free to leave it out or substitute with parmesan cheese or blue cheese.
- Balsamic Dressing: Grab my easy balsamic vinegar dressing or use any store bought dressing you like.
How to Make Farro Grain Bowl
Assemble your grain bowls with the kale, butternut squash, farro, and remaining toppings and enjoy!
My Best Farro Grain Bowl Tips
- Cook the farro al dente. This is so that it doesn’t get soggy when mixed with the dressing and other ingredients. You want it to have a bite to it for best texture in a grain bowl.
- Fluff the farro with a fork when you drain it. This will help to separate the grains and they will be easier to combine with the other ingredients.
- Keep everything separated until you’re ready to eat. This helps for storing leftovers and also helps if you have picky family members who can add as much or as little of the different ingredients.
Recipe Help & FAQs
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator as soon as they’ve cooled enough to do so. For the best texture, store the dressing and bowls separately. To reheat the grain bowls, simply pop the defrosted bowls in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, depending on how warm or hot you’d like your bowl to be.
These farro grain bowls are perfect for meal prep. Let all of the ingredients cool before combining and keep them covered in the fridge. They will keep well for 4 to 5 days. You can even add in the dressing as we don’t use any veggies that will wilt easily.
You can eat grain bowls hot or cold. I really enjoy them warm the first day when the grains are fresh off the pot. But you can easily make several and keep them covered in the fridge and have them to grab for easy cold lunches the next day.
More Grain Bowl Recipes:
- Chicken & Quinoa Bowl
- Grain Bowls – 3 Ways
- Mediterranean Hummus Bowl
- Vegan Buddha Bowl
- Tex Mex Breakfast Bowl
If you try this Farro Grain Bowl recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Farro Grain Bowl
Video
Ingredients
Grain Bowl
- ½ cup farro uncooked
- 8 ounces kale de-stemmed and chopped, about 6 cups
- 3 cups butternut squash cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 beets cooked, chopped
- ½ cup pistachios
- ¼ cup feta cheese
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook farro according to directions on package and cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the butternut squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside to cool.
- While farro and butternut squash are cooling, whisk together the salad dressing.
- Add kale to a salad bowl. Pour dressing over kale and toss until kale is evenly coated.
- Toss in the cooled farro and butternut squash. Add beets, pistachios and feta cheese on top and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I was in a hurry and had to replace the farro with barley – it was still AMAZING. Perfect fall food that isn’t soup, and absolutely hit the spot!
Yum, sounds like a great swap. Glad you liked it for a quick fall dinner!
Might be a dumb question, but how do you cook the beets? I’ve never used them.
I used pre-cooked beets in this recipe!
I have the same question, think we can pressure cook the beets just like the way how we do potatoes.
I loved this recipe! It is quick and easy to make, yet filling and delicious! I always thought I was not a fan of beets, but I gave it a try to make this salad and fell in love! Thank you!
I’m so glad I could introduce beets to you in an enjoyable way! Thank you!!
First time trying farro and it was delicious! We doubled the dressing, so that we could pour extra over the entire bowl. Also added a few pomegranate seeds over the top for a pop of flavor!
Yay! So glad you tried it and enjoyed it. Love the pomegranate on top!