
Warm Farro with Tomatoes, Parmesan, and Basil
With its nutty flavor and satisfying chew, farro is quinoa and couscous’ lesser-known (but equally worth knowing) sibling. This fantastic recipe, adapted for the Anyday from Smitten Kitchen’s One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes, is best enjoyed by itself, topped with a fried egg, or as a hearty side. Make sure to use pearled farro (see serving suggestion note) for a faster cooking time.
All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well.
What You’ll Need
What You’ll Need
Prep Time
8 minsCook Time
18 minsFree Time
for an episode of Schitt’s Creek
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) pearled farro (see note)
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) water
- ¼ (50g) medium yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup (75g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- lemon juice, to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- parmesan, grated, to taste
- basil, thinly sliced
Preparation
- Combine farro, water, onion, tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the Anyday dish. Cover with the lid (knob lifted).
- Cook in the microwave at Power Level 5✕
Certain foods cook best in the microwave at lower power levels.
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Different microwaves have different settings. See your microwave manual (or look it up online) to learn how to change your microwave’s power level.
For many microwaves: enter the cook time, press the “Power” (or “Power Level”) button, and select a number between 1-10. Other microwaves may require selecting the Power Level first, and then entering the cook time.
Microwaves list power levels in different ways. Here’s a guide to help you adjust:
PL 10 = 100% = High (default)
PL 9 = 90% = High
PL 8 = 80% = Med-High
PL 7 = 70% = Med-High
PL 6 = 60% = Medium
PL 5 = 50% = Medium
PL 4 = 40% = Med-Low
PL 3 = 30% = Med-Low
PL 2 = 20% = Low
PL 1 = 10% = Low
You will know if the power level has been successfully changed if you hear periodic changes in the microwave’s tone after it begins cooking.
- Stir in lemon juice and butter. Garnish with a generous shower of parmesan cheese and basil.
Serving suggestions & tips
- The type of farro you use here matters! Pearled farro has the husk and bran removed, giving it a milder flavor and faster cook time. By contrast, semi-pearled and whole grain farro will take longer to cook. If your farro package has a cook time of 20 minutes or less, it’s likely to be pearled farro.
- Adjust the power level by 1 as needed — increase if it’s taking longer than expected, or decrease if it’s bubbling over.
- This recipe is inspired by one of our favorites from Smitten Kitchen. Thanks for this one-pot wonder, Deb!
- Microwave ovens vary, even with the same wattages. Adjust cooking times as needed.