Farro Side Dish with Mozzarella

A warm farro and lentil salad with herbs, lemon, and creamy buffalo mozzarella. Nutty, herby, and full of texture — a simple yet elegant side dish ready in 25 minutes.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine International

Diet Vegetarian

Dietary Egg Free

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 614kcal

Ingredients

1 cup farro
3 cups broth
1 can lentil (400g) drained and rinsed
½ cup flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
¼ cup marjoram leaves
2 tbsp tarragon leaves
½ lemon juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 buffalo mozzarella

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Rinse the farro thoroughly.
Place in a saucepan and add water and broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer. For pearled farro, boil for 10 to 20 minutes; semi-pearled farro, 20 to 30 minutes and for whole farro, up to 40 minutes. If there is excess liquid after farro is cooked to al dente, discard.
In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the buffalo mozzarella. Mix until well combined.
Place in a serving bowl or plate.
Add the buffalo mozzarella into either whole or torn. Drizzle some droplets of olive oil and some herbs on top of the cheese.
Serve.

Notes

If you can’t find farro but love the sound of this recipe, you can try quinoa, barley, or brown rice for a different texture and flavour while keeping the dish hearty.
You can replace lentils with chickpeas, black beans, or cannellini beans to change up the protein and texture.
If you’d like other herbs, experiment with different herbs such as basil, cilantro, or mint instead of marjoram and tarragon for a new flavour profile. Sometimes the tarragon can be very strong, so these are good alternatives.
Use walnuts, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds in place of cashews and pecans for a different kind of crunch.
Swap buffalo mozzarella with fresh burrata, feta, or goat cheese for a different creamy element.
If you would like to bulk up this farro side dish, incorporate roasted vegetables like cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, or zucchini. Or you can add fresh spinach, arugula, or kale to increase the nutritional value and add a layer of freshness.
Include spices such as smoked paprika, cumin, or coriander to introduce new flavour dimensions.

Nutrition