Instant Pot Farro

Hearty, healthy, Instant Pot farro is easy to make in about 30 minutes. All you need to make it is farro and water! Enjoy this nutty, chewy whole grain as an alternative to grains like rice and quinoa.

What is farro?

Farro, sometimes call emmer, is an ancient variety of wheat. Farro is common in Mediterranean and Middle Easter cooking and has a chewy texture and mild nutty flavour. It can be enjoyed as an alternative to quinoa, rice, buckwheat, barley and spelt.

How to Make Farro in an Instant Pot

Making farro in an Instant Pot isn’t necessarily faster than making it stovetop but it’s totally hands-off, which definitely makes it easier. Just add the ingredients to an Instant Pot, turn it on and presto – all done!

Step 1. Rinse the farro.

While this step isn’t totally necessary, I find most farro has a dry, powdery residue on it that needs to be rinsed off. Place the dry, uncooked farro in a fine strained and rinse under cold water for 60 seconds or so.

Step 2. Add farro to an Instant Pot

Add the rinsed farro to an Instant Pot using a ratio of 1.75 parts water to 1 part farro. For example, for 1 cup farro use 1 3/4 cups water.

I’ve found if you use a 2:1 ratio there will be excess water once the farro is cooked. Which isn’t a big deal as you can just strain it off but 1.75 works better! I also add a little pinch of salt, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp is plenty.

Step 3. Cook the farro

To set the Instant Pot for cooking farro:

1. Seal the lid and set the Venting Knob to Sealing.
2. Press pressure cook and set the timer to 14 minutes.
3. Let the pressure build and the time count down, once the timer beeps, allow the pressure to release for 12 minutes before moving the Venting Knob to Quick Release and carefully opening the lid.

The farro is now ready to use in recipes, enjoy as a side, for porridge, added to soups, stews and stir fries or be stored in the fridge or freezer for later use.

Farro FAQ

New to farro? Let’s go over a few commonly asked questions.

Is farro supposed to be chewy?

Yes! That’s what’s I love about it. It’s unique chewy texture is delicious. Try it in this fried farro recipe or this roasted squash farro salad.

Should I toast the farro first?

It’s up to you! I usually don’t because I’m lazy but toasting grains, especially nutty ones like farro, does enhance their flavour. There are two options for toasting farro:

1. Oven Method. Spread the dry farro on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350 degrees F until lightly browned. This should take 10-15 minutes. Keep a close eye on it as it can burn quickly.
2. Stovetop Method. Add uncooked farro to a dry skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often until lightly browned.

Every once in a while I’ll take the extra time to toast farro, it really does add a nice touch! But no worries if you don’t feel like…I usually don’t.

Do I have to rinse the farro before cooking?

Yes. I recommend rinsing farro before cooking to remove the dry, powdery coating it often has. Add the farro to a fine strainer and rinse it under cold water for about a minute.

Is farro gluten-free?

No. Farro is a type of wheat so it is not gluten-free. That being said, because it’s an ancient grain and thought to have lower levels of gluten than modern wheat, it may be safe for those with a gluten intolerance. It is not suitable for those with celiac disease though.

Soaking and sprouting farro may help improve digestibility if that’s something you want to look into.

Is farro good for you?

Farro is a nutritious whole grain. It contains protein, fiber and nutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, iron, antioxidants and zinc. It is similar to whole grains like quinoa and brown rice in nutritional value.

Learn more about its nutritional benefits in my guide to whole grains.

Instant Pot Farro Recipe

There’s not much to this recipe. Simply add farro, water and salt to your Instant Pot, cook and enjoy!

Cooked farro can be used as an alternative to rice, quinoa and other whole grains in pretty much any recipe. With it’s chewy texture and nutty flavour, farro makes a wonderful grain for salads but it can also be added to dishes like soups and stir fries.

Farro Recipes to Try

Now that you’ve got your easy farro all ready to go, give it a try in these recipes:

• Roasted Squash Farro Salad
• Mediterranean Farro Salad Bowls
• Fried Farro

Farro can also be used as an alternative grain in this basil fried rice, brown rice salad with peanut sauce or this lentil quinoa bowl.

For more Instant Pot recipes, check out these 25 healthy plant-based Instant Pot recipes, Instant Pot Rolled Oats, Instant Pot Rice Pilaf or Refried Back Beans.

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