French Alsatian Bacon Lentil Farro

Name: French Alsatian Bacon Lentil Farro
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 oz (115 g) lardons (thick-cut bacon or salt pork), cut into ¼-inch dice, cut into ¼-inch cubes; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 2 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup (200 g) pearl farro; ¾ cup (150 g) French green lentils (Lentilles du Puy); 1½ teaspoon (8 g) brown mustard seeds, whole; 4 sprigs (5 g) fresh thyme sprigs; 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable broth; 1 leaf (1) bay leaf; to taste sea salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter (optional); 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rustic French side dish combining tender farro and green lentils with crispy lardons, whole mustard seeds, and fresh thyme. This stovetop grain celebrates the hearty, savory flavors of Alsace, where lentils and cured pork are kitchen staples. Serve warm as a side to roasted chicken or duck, or eat it cool as a grain salad.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 6 servings (about 1 cup each)

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Steps

Before you start

Measure out the farro and lentils; do not rinse them.
Have the vegetable broth ready (warm or room temperature works).

1
Render the lardons
- Add the diced lardons to a large skillet (4-quart) over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the fat renders.
- The lardons should be golden brown and the fat fragrant.
- Transfer the lardons to a paper-towel-lined plate; leave about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the skillet.
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Ready when: Bacon is crispy and golden brown; fat is fragrant
Tip: Do not discard the rendered fat—it adds deep flavor. If there's less than 2 tablespoons, add a bit of butter.
2
Sauté aromatics and seeds
- Add the finely diced onion to the skillet with the rendered pork fat.
- Cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until softened and beginning to turn golden.
- Add the minced garlic and brown mustard seeds; stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant and the mustard seeds begin to pop slightly.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and golden; mustard seeds are fragrant and beginning to pop
Tip: Toast the mustard seeds briefly so they release their peppery aroma and flavor—don't burn them.
3
Add grains and broth
- Stir in the pearl farro and green lentils.
- Toast them in the skillet for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
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Ready when: Mixture comes to a rolling boil
Tip: Toasting the grains for a minute deepens their flavor and helps them absorb the broth more evenly.
4
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet partially (leave the lid slightly ajar).
- Simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the farro and lentils are both tender but not mushy and most of the broth is absorbed.
- The mixture should look moist but not soupy.
- Taste a grain of farro and a lentil to confirm they're cooked through.
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Ready when: Farro grains are tender with a slight chew; lentils are soft but hold their shape; broth is mostly absorbed
Tip: Do not stir too frequently—it can break down the lentils. Stir every 5–7 minutes. If the mixture dries out before the grains are tender, add a splash of broth or water.
5
Finish and season
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- Stir in the reserved crispy lardons and the optional butter if using.
- Taste and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference.
- Remember the lardons are already salty, so add salt gradually.
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Ready when: Lardons are evenly distributed; dish is well-seasoned
Tip: The butter adds a silky finish, but it's optional. Taste before adding extra salt since the lardons contribute saltiness.
6
Rest and serve
- Let the farro and lentil mixture rest in the skillet off the heat for 5 minutes.
- This allows the grains to finish absorbing any remaining liquid and flavors to settle.
- Stir gently, transfer to a serving dish, and garnish with the optional fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve warm.
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Ready when: All liquid is absorbed; grains are glossy and tender
Tip: If the dish sits and becomes too thick, stir in a splash of warm broth to loosen it again.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip rendering the bacon fat—it's the foundation of the dish's flavor. The rendered fat seasons the entire grain mixture.
If you can find true French lentilles du Puy (green lentils from the Puy region), they're worth seeking out; they have a peppery flavor and hold their shape beautifully during cooking.
This dish is excellent warm but also wonderful as a cool grain salad the next day. Toss with a light vinaigrette for a different take.
For a deeper, more Alsatian flavor, add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard when finishing the dish, stirring it in along with the lardons.

Make ahead

You can cook this dish up to 2 days ahead. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of broth if it has dried out. The flavor deepens after a day.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth if needed.

Substitutions

lardons (thick-cut bacon or salt pork), cut into ¼-inch dice → pancetta or thick-cut smoked bacon. Both offer similar pork fat and salty flavor. Dice and cook the same way.
French green lentils (Lentilles du Puy) → brown or regular green lentils. French lentils (Puy) hold their shape best, but regular green lentils work; reduce cooking time by 2–3 minutes if using smaller, faster-cooking varieties.
pearl farro → spelt berries or wheat berries. Both are nutty whole grains with similar cooking times. Spelt is slightly softer; wheat berries take about 35–40 minutes total.
vegetable broth → chicken or light beef broth. Chicken broth adds richness; beef broth deepens the savory character. Use the same amount.