Prep: 5 If you’re looking for an easy vegetarian dinner idea that’s full of healthy ingredients and so much flavor, you are going to love my Farro with Blistered Tomatoes & Pesto recipe! Warm, wholesome cooked farro, blistered tomatoes, sautéed zucchini and mushrooms, fragrant toasted pine nuts, and vegetarian parmesan with freshly chopped basil. Every bite is incredibly delicious and the whole meal comes together in just 30 minutes!
Farro with Blistered Tomatoes & Pesto Recipe
I could not be more obsessed with this Farro with Blistered Tomatoes & Pesto Recipe! I had some leftover farro from another recipe that I wanted to use in a creative way, and when I made this one…oh my goodness. Every bite was so heavenly!
I’ve made it so many times since then and it’s still one of my favorite vegetarian dishes. The pesto with the blistered tomatoes and fresh basil reminds me of summertime! The zucchini, mushrooms, and toasted pine nuts add protein to this recipe in such a flavorful and simple way. The vegetarian parmesan on top brings it all together!
RELATED: 70+ BEST Easy Vegetarian Recipes
What You’ll Need
Pine Nuts (opens in a new tab) – The toasted pine nuts add the perfect texture and flavor to this farro recipe! Feel free to substitute with chopped walnuts or almonds, instead.
Olive Oil – Or avocado oil.
Zucchini/Mushrooms – These vegetables pair so perfectly with warm farro, but feel free to use any chopped veggies you like! The key is to sauté them until they’re soft and tender.
Salt/Pepper – I like to add this in to taste throughout the cooking process.
Grape Tomatoes – The bright and citrusy flavors of blistered tomatoes that burst in your mouth paired with warm farro and pesto….SO good. Cherry tomatoes work great, too!
Minced Garlic – Adds so much delicious flavor. You can adjust this ingredients to taste as well.
Cooked Farro – Make your own ahead of time (I love batch cooking at the beginning of the week!) or buy pre-cooked farro microwave packs (opens in a new tab) instead!
Pesto – Make your own homemade (healthier) pesto sauce, or feel free to buy store-bought pesto (opens in a new tab) instead to save time!
Vegetarian Parmesan – Grated or shredded, your choice!
Freshly Chopped Basil – This isn’t required, but it adds so much flavor to this recipe.
How to Make Farro with Blistered Tomatoes & Pesto
This recipe comes together so quickly for an easy, healthy vegetarian meal! Here’s how to make Farro with Blistered Tomatoes & Pesto:
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry sauté pan (opens in a new tab) or skillet. Set aside.
- Cook the zucchini and mushrooms in olive oil for about 10 minutes, then set aside.
- Add oil and tomatoes to the skillet and cook just until they blister, right before they begin to pop.
- Add the veggies back in along with the cooked farro, pesto, and garlic.
- Remove from heat and top with vegetarian parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and freshly chopped basil!
Tips for the BEST Farro Recipe
- Make the farro ahead of time or buy pre-cooked microwave packs to save time.
- Adjust the amount of oil as needed.
- As you cook, add salt and pepper to taste!
- Cook the tomatoes JUST until they blister, right before they begin to pop. Overcooking them will leave them mushy when they’re combined with everything else. Need help getting it just right? Here’s how to cook blistered tomatoes (opens in a new tab) to perfection!
- Add extra toasted pine nuts for more texture and flavor!
- You can add extra parmesan if desired, and feel free to lightly broil the entire dish (if it’s in an oven-safe skillet) for 1-2 minutes to get a crispy topping!
You’ll Also Love: Lemon Garlic Eggplant Mushroom Orzo
Storing Leftovers
Recipe leftovers can be cooled and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months! To reheat, add about 1 teaspoon of water or broth and heat in the microwave until evenly warm.
More Easy Vegetarian Dinner Ideas
- Easy Quinoa Chili
- Spinach Goat Cheese Pizzas
- Vegetarian French Onion Soup
- Harissa Veggie Bowls
- Mushroom & Spinach Pasta Bake
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Farro with Blistered Tomatoes & Pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons pine nuts (opens in a new tab)
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil (opens in a new tab) (divided)
- 1 medium zucchini (cubed)
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- salt/pepper (to taste)
- 16 ounces grape tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 cups cooked farro (opens in a new tab)
- 3 Tablespoons pesto (opens in a new tab)
- 1/2 cup vegetarian parmesan
- freshly chopped basil (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Heat up a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat and toast the dry pine nuts for about 3 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside.
- Heat up 1 Tablespoon of the oil and add in the zucchini and mushrooms, cooking for about 10 minutes and adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Set the zucchini and mushrooms aside, then add in the remaining oil and tomatoes. Cook until they begin to blister, about 5-6 minutes, right before they start popping.
- Add the veggies back in along with the minced garlic, cooked farro, and pesto.
- Stir until evenly mixed and warm, then top with parmesan and the toasted pine nuts.
- Garnish with freshly chopped basil and enjoy!
Watch Me Make This
Nutrition
Did you make this? I’d love to see!
Tag me on socials at @JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab) or #JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab)
I plan on making this, but we don’t like pine nuts. Is there good substitute? Thank you.
Hey Jen! Happy to help! Walnuts, almonds, pepitas, or even sunflower seeds would all be great to use in place of the pine nuts or simply omit them. Enjoy!
Excellent – used 2 zucchini, cooked farro in the instant pot, came together quickly. Eating leftovers for lunch tomorrow cold!
Love to hear this! Thanks for the review, Kim.