Farrotto is the dish that makes turning on your oven in July feel like a good decision. It’s farro cooked low and slow, risotto style, until it turns rich and creamy. Then, it’s topped with a pile of roasted California vegetables that have gone sweet, jammy, and slightly caramelized. One bite and you’ll understand why this farro risotto is worth the wait.

What Is Farrotto, Anyway?

Farro is an ancient grain in the wheat family. It has a chewy texture that holds up even after an hour in a hot oven. Semi-pearled farro is the version to look for here. It cooks down into something creamy, similar to traditional risotto. It keeps a little bite that plain Arborio rice doesn’t have. Toast it in olive oil, deglaze with wine, then let the oven handle the slow simmering while you deal with the vegetables.

California Wine & Olive Oil -Two Superstar CA GROWN Ingredients You Should Always Have on Hand

Two pantry staples carry a lot of weight in this dish, and both are CA GROWN.

First, the dry white wine. Caroline calls for sauvignon blanc, and a California bottle is an easy choice. Sommelier Amanda McCrossin described California sauvignon blanc as the little black dress of wine. It’s something that works as well with a quick weeknight dinner as it does with a full spread. From breezy appetizers to a full-fledged dinner, Sauvignon Blanc can work with just about anything. A splash goes into the pot to deglaze. Whatever’s left over makes a pretty solid companion while that farro finishes cooking.

California Wine: Good for the Glass, Better for the Land

California is the fourth-largest wine-producing region in the world, and sustainability is built into how wine is made here. Nearly 70% of vineyard acreage is certified, and over 90% of California wine is produced in certified wineries, using climate-smart practices that actually make a difference.

That care carries through to the glass. Wines like California Sauvignon Blanc reflect the state’s diverse regions and thoughtful approach to farming and winemaking. From everyday meals to cooking with wine, California wine proves that taking care of the land and making great wine go hand in hand.

Then there’s the extra-virgin olive oil, which shows up everywhere from toasting the farro to roasting the cherry tomatoes and squash. California EVOO comes from orchards that work hard year-round. Olive growing is a year-round endeavor, so California olive growers are always tending their trees – which is a big part of why a good bottle tastes like, well, actual olives.

This Recipe is Straight from the Cookbook

This recipe comes from Caroline Chambers’ new cookbook, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking: Make it Fast. Here’s how she describes it, in her own words:

“Farrotto is farro cooked low and slow like risotto – creamy, hearty, and deeply satisfying in a way that feels almost too good to be this simple. I love making it in the summer because it’s the perfect base for whatever California produce is at its peak right now – zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes. The vegetables roast until jammy and almost caramelized, and when you pile them on top of that creamy farro, it’s genuinely one of the best bites of summer.”

“Cool, crisp, no-cook salads tend to be the stars of summer, but this meal, I promise, is worth turning your oven on for. With time and heat, summer vegetables—even mild-tasting ones like zucchini and yellow squash—transform into sweet and jammy, buttery and umami-rich bites of heaven. We’re combining those with farro cooked like risotto (hence “farrotto”) and some dairy for good measure, for the meatless Monday summer supper of my dreams. Eat this for dinner on the patio, or prep it for a week of lunches, reheated or served cold!“

A Few Things to Know Before You Cook

1. If Parmesan isn’t your thing, goat cheese, or feta all would work well as a swap (stir feta in before the pot goes in the oven, so it melts properly).
2. Top each bowl with fresh, chopped herbs right before serving, since they brighten the nutty flavor of the farro and make the whole thing taste like summer.
3. And if you want to be EXTRA about it, and why wouldn’t you, a drizzle of balsamic glaze or a spoonful of pesto will seal the deal.

Caroline’s farrotto is proof that rice-based risotto isn’t the only way to indulge in a creamy, comforting bowl of dinner.

Need a new soundtrack for your kitchen? Check out this CA GROWN Spotify playlist:

What in-season produce will you be adding to your farrotto? We’d love to hear about it! Share your photos with us by tagging #CAGROWN on social media.

Don’t stop here! Follow us on Pinterest for more fresh and fabulous recipe inspiration. Dive into the world of CA GROWN goodness, and let’s make every meal a celebration of the Golden State’s bounty.

Farrotto with Roasted Summer Vegetables

Caroline Chambers

Cool, crisp, no-cook salads tend to be the stars of summer, but this meal is worth turning your oven on for. Eat this for dinner on the patio, or prep it for a week of lunches, reheated or served cold!

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 531 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 small yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ cups semi-pearled farro rinsed
• ½ cup dry white wine I like sauvignon blanc
• 5 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or chicken stock or BTB + water—see page 21, plus more if needed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium yellow squash
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 small red onion
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 TBSP ½ stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 ounces, plus more for serving
• 1 lemon
• Chopped soft green herbs for serving

Instructions

 

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325℉ (160℃) Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Finely chop the small yellow onion and the garlic. Warm 2 TBSP olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the farro and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour in the white wine and cook until mostly evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 4 cups of the stock, 1 tsp salt, and some black pepper. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover with the lid and transfer to the lower rack of the oven.
• Bake the farrotto until the farro is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 ½ hours total.
• Immediately after you put the farro in the oven, prep the vegetables, placing them on the prepared baking sheet as you go.

  Cut the zucchini and yellow squash in half lengthwise and then crosswise into ½ -inch thick half circles. Slice the bell pepper into ½ -inch-thick strips. Cut the red onion into 1-inch-thick wedges. Add the whole cherry tomatoes and drizzle over 2 tablespoons olive oil, a couple of generous pinches of salt, and some black pepper. Toss to coat everything evenly.
• Transfer to the upper rack of the oven and bake for about 75 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned in spots and the tomatoes have collapsed.
• When the farrotto is done, remove the pot from the oven. Carefully remove the lid and stir in the butter, Parm, and ½ cup stock. Add the rest of the stock as needed until the farrotto is really creamy. Halve the lemon and squeeze in the juice from 1 half, straining out seeds. Stir, then taste and add more salt or lemon juice as desired.
• Scoop the farrotto into bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with more Parm and chopped herbs.

Notes

LEARN: Semi-pearled farro works best here because it softens gently without getting mushy.

SWAP: Swap the Parmesan for 4 ounces of goat cheese or 8 ounces of brine-packed feta (but add the feta before you transfer the pot to the oven so it can get creamy). •

Don’t feel like opening a whole bottle of wine just to use ½ cup? Pour 2 TBSP light vinegar (champagne or aged sherry vinegar would be great here) into a ½-cup measure, fill it the rest of the way with water, and use that instead.

EXTRA EXTRA: Drizzle each serving with balsamic glaze or a spoonful of pesto.

Recipe reprinted with permission from What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking: Make it Fast by Caroline Chambers © 2026. Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Photography by Erin Scott.

Nutrition

Serving: 2scoopsCalories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 16gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 1407mgPotassium: 950mgFiber: 16gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 2803IUVitamin C: 101mgCalcium: 230mgIron: 4mg

Keyword Farro, Farrotto, roasted vegetables, summer dinner recipes, Summer vegetables

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Meet Caroline Chambers

Caroline grew up in the kitchen on her mom’s hip, learning how to cook in their Winston-Salem, North Carolina, home. With experience as a chef, caterer, and freelance recipe developer for a host of publications and brands, she published her first cookbook in 2018, Just Married. In 2020—at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic—Caro began sharing her recipes and connecting with home cooks on Instagram (@carochambers), and launched her newsletter, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, which flew to the top of the Substack charts.

Her next cookbook, bearing the same title, was published in 2024 and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Caro lives in Carmel Valley, California, with her husband, George, and their four sons, Mattis, Calum, Cashel, and Tavish—one of whom can almost always be found in the kitchen on her hip.