Farro and Cauliflower Parmesan

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated Oct. 26, 2021

Farro and Cauliflower Parmesan
Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
1 hour and 5 minutes
Rating
5(2,487)
Comments
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This dish has all of the crispy-melty-tomatoey appeal of a chicken or eggplant Parmesan, but it uses only one pot. Olive oil provides richness, and broiling lends a cheesy crunch without the mess of breading and frying. The pizzalike flavors and mellow cauliflower make it a (potentially) kid-friendly meal. Feel free to omit the olives if that makes more sense for your family. In fact, this dish is highly customizable: Add more or less red-pepper flakes, throw in some capers or use broccoli rabe instead of cauliflower. Any salty, hard aged cheese will work in place of Parmesan, like asiago or pecorino. Leftovers are great crisped in the oven.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

    For the Farro and Cauliflower

    • 1½pounds cauliflower (about 1 small cauliflower head or ½ large cauliflower head), florets and tender stems cut into large bite-sized pieces
    • 1¾cups semi-pearled or pearled farro (about 12 ounces)
    • 1(32-ounce) jar good-quality marinara sauce
    • ¼cup olive oil
    • ½cup pitted kalamata or black olives, roughly chopped (optional)
    • 8garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
    • 3ounces grated Parmesan (about ¾ cup finely grated)
    • 1½teaspoons granulated sugar
    • 1½teaspoons onion powder
    • 1½teaspoons dried oregano
    • 1teaspoon balsamic or sherry vinegar
    • ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)
    • 1½teaspoons kosher salt
    • Black pepper

    For the Topping

    • 1cup panko
    • 2ounces grated Parmesan (about ½ cup finely grated)
    • 1tablespoon olive oil
    • 8ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into rounds
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

499 calories; 23 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 945 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch pan, combine the cauliflower, farro, marinara sauce, olive oil, olives (if using), garlic, Parmesan, sugar, onion powder, oregano, vinegar and red-pepper flakes. Season with the salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Pour in 1⅔ cups water and stir well to combine. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Uncover the pan, stir, and continue baking uncovered until the farro is tender-chewy and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes more. (If the farro has already soaked up all the sauce and the pan is looking dry, stir in ½ to ¾ cup water, just to make sure the farro has enough liquid to become tender and saucy.)

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, make the topping: Stir together the panko, Parmesan and olive oil.

  4. Step 4

    Turn on the broiler. Evenly cover the top of the farro with the panko topping. Top with the sliced mozzarella. Broil on the top rack, about 6 inches from the heat source, for 2 minutes, rotating the pan once and watching carefully for burning, until the panko topping is deeply browned and the mozzarella has melted.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,487 user ratings
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Comments

Lee

I would respectfully like to differ with the poster who asked that reviews not include substitutions. As a vegan I find these incredibly helpful, and I think others with different dietary habits or restrictions would agree. If the recipe is good when followed exactly, that will be reflected in most of the comments. A few comments discussing successful or unsuccessful adaptations only make the dish more inclusive and versatile.

Rob-in-Philly

This was a hit with my vegan friends. For added richness I used a 50/50 mix of vegetable stock and white vermouth instead of water the second time I cooked this. It made a HUGE flavor difference.

Beth

Made this almost exactly as written and it was delicious. Only change was mixing in some baby spinach just before adding topping and broiling. I'm trying to use less foil, so instead of foil I put a sheet pan on top of the pan and weighted it down with a cast iron pan. Worked perfectly.

Jo

Thought I had farro but was Israeli couscous. Prepared it in separate pot. Used crushed tomato can and completed with Mutti passatta. Didnt add water bc of couscous. Very tasty and as we were only 2, more than 3/4 was left! Makes a large meal.

Rebecca

Has anyone ever made this with Arborio rice instead of farro?

AndreaH

This is good. It may have been my brand of farro (labeled pearled, but they seem to vary), but it took considerably longer to cook. I added a small red onion & about four ounces of baby spinach. My jar of sauce was only 28 oz, so I added a small can of tomato sauce, a little dried basil, and was generous with the oregano. I added extra mozz to the top & it covered the panko topping too much and the panko didn’t crisp up enough. So next time I would put cheese first, then panko on top.

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