Brown rice and farro risotto with roasted apples is a comforting dinner recipe to celebrate fall flavors!

The combination of brown rice and farro replaces the traditional arborio rice to create a fun twist on an Italian favorite. Cream and grated parmesan cheese adds some creaminess and savory spices adds some serious flavor. Top this brown rice and farro risotto with roasted apples, crispy bacon, bitter radicchio and fresh endive. This brown rice and farro risotto is a must-make at some point this fall!

Good morning, everyone! I hope you are all having fantastic weekends and are enjoying what’s left of them. It has definitely been a whirlwind of a weekend and week for Zach and I. We are definitely ready to spend this upcoming week relaxing in our new home as much as possible. I’m definitely completely ready for home-cooked foods. That’s the thing about spending so much time traveling. I love to eat out, but deep down I’m a seriously homebody. It’s definitely time to get back into a routine.

This brown rice and farro risotto with roasted apples is just one of those dinners that I’m ready to get back home and make again.

I mentioned this when I posted my pumpkin risotto recipe a couple of weeks ago that risotto is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. Rarely can you get it cooked to the right consistency in a restaurant, so I normally just take on the task myself.

This “risotto” recipe is slightly different from the traditional one you may know of. I may even be pushing the envelope a little bit on calling it an actual risotto, but it’s because of it’s rich creamy consistency and tender grains that draw me towards calling it to a risotto. I hope you risotto enthusiasts understand where I’m coming from. ;)

Recipe for this brown rice and farro risotto is below. I hope you guys find it as comforting and delicious as I do. Pair it with a brown ale and have a relaxing Sunday!

Brown Rice and Farro Risotto with Roasted Apples

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 4 -6

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup brown rice
• ▢ 1 cup farro
• ▢ 4-5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth more as needed
• ▢ 2 large apples I used Fuji, sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ salt and black pepper
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ 4 strips of fully-cooked crispy bacon, chopped
• ▢ 1 radicchio chopped
• ▢ 1 small endive leaves separated
• ▢ 2 tablespoons parsley leaves

Instructions

• ▢
  To a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the brown rice and farro. Cover with 4 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for about 40-45 minutes or until the liquid has mostly cooked out and the grains are tender. If you find that the grains are not quite tender and the liquid has already cooked out, add more broth and continue to simmer until they are tender.
• ▢
  While the rice and farro are cooking, prepare your roasted apples. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with olive oil and a dash of salt and black pepper. Pour the apples onto the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast the apples for about 15-20 minutes or until the apples are tender and golden. Remove from heat.
• ▢
  When the brown rice and farro are tender, reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, a dash of salt and black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer once again and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• ▢
  Serve the brown rice and farro risotto by piling roasted apples, radicchio, bacon, endive, and parsley leaves on top. Sprinkle with additional black pepper and enjoy immediately.