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–+ servings
A skillet filled with cooked farro pilaf mixed with green peas, dried cranberries, and nuts, with a wooden spoon inside. A bowl of salad and a small bowl of pistachios are in the background.

Farro Pilaf with Dried Cranberries, Peas & Pistachios

This colorful Farro Pilaf is brimming with chewy whole grains, sweet dried cranberries, green peas and crunchy pistachios. It’s an easy, fiber-rich side dish that cooks in one skillet and pairs beautifully with just about any entrée.
Yield: 5.5 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 ¼ cups  dry farro, rinsed*
  • ½ cup onion, diced (about ¾ cup)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder, OR 2 small to medium fresh garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 ¼ cups vegetable broth**
  • ½ cup  green peas, thawed if frozen
  • ¼ to ½ cup pistachios
  • ¼ to ½ cup dried cranberries, or raisins
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
Ingredient Details to Know
*It’s worth the effort to rinse farro because it removes some of starch, which helps prevent farro from becoming mushy or clumping. Add farro to a strainer or mesh colander and let cold water run over it for ~20 seconds as you toss with your fingers to ensure all pieces are rinsed. Let water drain and gently dab with paper towel or kitchen cloth to remove excess water.
**You can use any preferred broth or stock, including chicken, beef or bone broth.

Instructions
 

  • Liberally mist the bottom of a large deep skillet or pan with nonstick olive oil spray (or add a few teaspoons oil from bottle) and warm over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes until onion is softened. Add rinsed farro and olive oil and sauté for 3 minutes or so. This will toast the farro and infuse the dried pieces with flavor. Add garlic powder, smoked paprika, and kosher salt. Stir for another 30 to 60 seconds to distribute the seasonings.
  • Add vegetable broth to the pan, turn up heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer over low flame for 35 minutes (or according to farro package directions). Remove from heat (do not stir) and let cooked farro sit for about 5 minutes to absorb excess water.
  • Fluff faro with a fork, add additional seasonings to taste, along with green peas, pistachios, dried cranberries (or raisins) and ground black pepper. Garnish with optional minced herbs and dig in!
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size: 1 cupCalories: 220Carbohydrates: 38gProtein: 8gTotal Fat: 5g— Unsaturated Fat: 5.5g— Saturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 170mgPotassium: 105mgFiber: 5gTotal Sugar: 6g— Natural Sugar: 6g— Added Sugar: 0gCalcium: 56mgIron: 1.2mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.