One-Pot Farro With Chicken Sausage & Tomatoes

Name: One-Pot Farro With Chicken Sausage & Tomatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 1 bulb fennel (about 1 lb.), fronds removed, quartered, cored, sliced crosswise; 1 lb. sweet Italian chicken sausage, casings removed; 1 c. whole-grain farro; 1/2 c. sliced peperoncini, finely chopped; 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, stems finely chopped, leaves coarsely chopped, divided; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 3 c. low-sodium chicken broth; 1 (5-oz.) pkg. baby spinach; 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 c.), divided; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper

By Theo KaloudisPublished: Feb 8, 2024

1 Rating

one pot farro with chicken sausage and tomatoes topped with fresh herbs

PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Yields:

4 serving(s)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 30 mins

Cal/Serv:

704

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This one-pot dish is a flavor bomb that is packed with veggies. Chicken sausage, fennel, onions, and hearty farro are seasoned with pickled, mildly spicy peperoncini and garlic to create a savory, stew-like rice dish. Finely chopped parsley stems are added for extra depth (the stems—often overlooked—pack a lot of punch, and tossing them would be a waste). The farro is finished by stirring in juicy cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, and topping it with a generous amount of Parmesan.

Farro, a Mediterranean staple—particularly in Italy—belongs to a wheat category that includes three species of grains: einkorn, emmer, and spelt. An ancient grain cultivated for thousands of years, emmer is the most common variety grown in Italy and is what is generally referred to when farro is specified in a recipe.

When shopping for farro, you may encounter various processed forms. For this recipe, we chose whole-grain emmer farro, but pearled and semi-pearled options are also available. Pearling involves removing the outer bran, giving the grain a pearlescent appearance and reducing the cooking time. To identify the type, check the cooking times: Pearled cooks in 15 minutes or less, and semi-pearled takes about 30 minutes. We recommend whole-grain, but semi-pearled works well too—simply simmer uncovered for the recommended time on the package.

Did you try this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments!

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Ingredients

1/4 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
1
medium yellow onion, chopped
1
bulb fennel (about 1 lb.), fronds removed, quartered, cored, sliced crosswise
1 lb.
sweet Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 cup
whole-grain farro
1/2 cup
sliced peperoncini, finely chopped
1/4
bunch fresh parsley, stems finely chopped, leaves coarsely chopped, divided
3
cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups
low-sodium chicken broth
1
(5-oz.) pkg. baby spinach
1
pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 oz.
Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 c.), divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Step 1In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onion, fennel, and sausage and cook, breaking up sausage into large pieces, until vegetables are softened and sausage is browned, about 8 minutes.
2. Step 2Stir in farro, peperoncini, parsley stems, and garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until farro is just starting to become tender, about 40 minutes.
3. Step 3Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced and farro is plump and tender but chewy, about 20 minutes more. (If you want the farro to be less chewy, cook 10 to 15 minutes more.)
4. Step 4Add spinach and tomatoes and stir until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and stir in half of parsley leaves and half of Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.
5. Step 5Divide farro mixture among bowls. Top with remaining parsley leaves and Parmesan.