RisottoItalianMedium

Wild Mushroom Farro Risotto

Name: Wild Mushroom Farro Risotto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, kept hot at a gentle simmer in a saucepan; 1 lb (450 g) mixed wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, oyster, shiitake, cremini), wiped clean, tough stems removed, torn or sliced into bite-size pieces about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 2 tbsp for mushrooms, 1 tbsp for farro; 3 medium (150 g) shallots, finely diced (about ¾ cup / 120 g); 2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp (3 g) fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stems, plus a few small sprigs to garnish; 1½ cups (280 g) semi-pearled farro, dry; no rinsing or soaking needed; ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, at room temperature; kosher salt, to taste, about 1 tsp total; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 1 cup (90 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra for serving; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 4 pieces; 2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from about ½ lemon); 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Nutty, chewy semi-pearled farro simmered in the style of risotto with deeply browned wild mushrooms, sweet shallots, thyme and a finish of Parmesan and butter. Creamy without cream and hearty enough for a main course.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 main-course servings (about 5 cups / 1.2 L total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, kept hot at a gentle simmer in a saucepan
1 lb (450 g) mixed wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, oyster, shiitake, cremini), wiped clean, tough stems removed, torn or sliced into bite-size pieces about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided: 2 tbsp for mushrooms, 1 tbsp for farro
3 medium (150 g) shallots, finely diced (about ¾ cup / 120 g)
2 cloves (8 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (3 g) fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stems, plus a few small sprigs to garnish
1½ cups (280 g) semi-pearled farro, dry; no rinsing or soaking needed
½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, at room temperature
kosher salt, to taste, about 1 tsp total
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 cup (90 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra for serving
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 4 pieces
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from about ½ lemon)
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Equipment (5)

Large (12-inch / 30 cm) skillet or wide sauté pan for the mushrooms
Heavy 4-quart (3.8 L) wide, heavy-bottomed pot for the farro
Medium saucepan for heating the broth
Wooden spoon
Microplane or box grater

Steps

Before you start

Use semi-pearled or pearled farro (check the package). Whole-grain farro needs soaking overnight and a longer cook time.
Grate the Parmesan from a block; pre-grated cheese won't melt as smoothly.
This recipe is entirely stovetop; no oven is needed.
Have everything chopped before you begin; once the farro goes in, you'll be stirring often.

1
Heat the broth
- Pour the broth into a medium saucepan and bring to a bare simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce to low and keep it hot, covered, while you cook.
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Ready when: Small bubbles at the edges, steam rising
Tip: Cold broth added later stalls the farro and makes the texture uneven.
2
Brown the mushrooms
- Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the mushrooms in a single layer (work in two batches if crowded).
- Leave undisturbed for 3 minutes, then stir and cook 4–5 minutes more, until deeply golden and their liquid has evaporated.
- Season with ¼ tsp salt and pepper, then scoop into a bowl.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are golden brown at the edges and the pan looks dry
Tip: Don't salt before browning; salt draws out water and the mushrooms will steam instead of sear.
3
Soften the shallots
- Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in the 4-quart pot over medium heat.
- Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme leaves and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Ready when: Shallots are translucent and soft, not browned; garlic smells fragrant
Tip: Pull the pot off the heat briefly if the garlic starts to darken; burnt garlic turns bitter.
4
Toast the farro
- Add the dry farro to the pot and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until the grains smell nutty and look slightly glossy and toasted.
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Ready when: Grains smell nutty and are coated in oil
5
Deglaze with wine
- Pour in the wine and stir until it is almost completely absorbed and the sharp alcohol smell has faded, about 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Pot bottom shows a clear trail when you drag the spoon through
6
Add broth gradually
- Add 1 cup (240 ml) of hot broth and stir.
- Keep the heat at a steady gentle simmer, stirring every minute or so.
- When the pot is almost dry, add another cup.
- Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time, about 30–35 minutes total, until you have used 4½ cups (1,080 ml) and the farro is nearly tender.
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Ready when: Farro is tender with a pleasant chew in the center, and the mixture looks loose and creamy
Tip: Taste a grain at 25 minutes; if still hard, keep going with the last of the broth or hot water.
7
Fold in mushrooms
- Stir the browned mushrooms and any juices from the bowl into the farro.
- Add the final ½ cup (120 ml) broth and cook 2–3 minutes until the risotto is loose and flows slowly when you tilt the pot.
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Ready when: Risotto is creamy and flows slowly, not stiff or soupy
8
Finish with cheese
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Vigorously stir in the Parmesan, then the cold butter, one piece at a time, until glossy.
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
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Ready when: Risotto is glossy and creamy with the cheese fully melted
Tip: Adding the cheese off the heat prevents it from turning grainy or oily.
9
Rest and serve
- Cover and let the risotto rest 2 minutes so it settles into a creamy consistency.
- Stir in a splash of hot water if it has thickened.
- Spoon into warm bowls and top with extra Parmesan, thyme sprigs and parsley, if using.
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Ready when: Soft, spoonable consistency that slowly spreads on a plate
Tip: Serve right away; farro risotto firms up as it cools.

Good to know

Tips

Brown the mushrooms in batches; overcrowding steams them and you lose the rich, roasted flavor.
Unlike rice, farro is forgiving, so you don't have to stir constantly, but regular stirring helps release starch for creaminess.
Taste for salt at the end only, since broth and Parmesan both add saltiness.
If the farro is still firm after all the broth, add hot water ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time until tender.

Make ahead

Brown the mushrooms and chop the shallots, garlic and herbs up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate separately. You can also par-cook the farro through the broth step using only 3 cups (720 ml) broth, spread it on a tray to cool, and refrigerate up to 1 day; finish with the remaining hot broth, the mushrooms and the final steps.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months (texture will be slightly softer). Reheat in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring until hot and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Substitutions

mixed wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, oyster, shiitake, cremini) → cremini or baby bella mushrooms, plus 1 oz (30 g) rehydrated dried porcini. Add the strained porcini soaking liquid in place of ½ cup of the broth for extra depth.
dry white wine → additional broth plus 1 tsp white wine vinegar. Keeps the acidity without alcohol.
semi-pearled farro → pearled barley. Similar cook time and chew; use the same amount.
unsalted butter → extra-virgin olive oil. Use 1 tbsp for a dairy-lighter finish; use a plant-based cheese alternative to make fully dairy-free.