SaurabhFarro is a versatile, healthy, and unique-tasting wheat grain. It can be used in many dishes or served alone as a snack. I like it because it adds a kick to any food.
It can get difficult to get your hands on farro as it is an ancient grain that is only starting to gain popularity again. So, if you cannot find any farro, worry not, there are many substitutes that you can use in its place.
The best substitutes for farro include barley, quinoa, wheat berries, brown rice, oat groats, winter wheat, spelt berries, teff, kasha, bulgur, or some of the following products.
If you want to know more regarding these substitutes and how to use them, read on!
Best Farro Substitutes
Farro is very healthy and versatile, but it may get difficult to find. There are some substitutes that can give you a taste and health benefits just as good as farro.
You will not even have to dig too deep to find these substitutes, most of them might already be in your kitchen! Here are the 15 best substitutes for farro.
1. Barley
Barley is the most suitable substitute for farro.
Farro and barley share a similar chewy texture and a nutty flavor. Barley is also nutritious like farro. They are both good sources of fiber and magnesium.
Barley is much more common and easier to find than farro. You can easily use it in place of farro in recipes due to their similar texture and taste.
2. Quinoa
Quinoa is highly nutritious and much easier to find than farro. It has a nutty taste similar to farro and a texture that is closer to that of rice.
Quinoa can replace farro in salads, soups, burgers, breakfast bowls, etc. It is gluten-free and has almost the same levels of protein as farro. It is also a good source of fiber and has all the essential amino acids.
Hence, Quinoa is definitely the healthiest substitute for farro.
3. Wheat Berries
Wheat berries are made out of wheat kernels. They make a good substitute for farro since both are a type of wheat grain.
Wheat berries and farro have a chewy texture and a nutty taste. They are good sources of proteins and fibers. You can replace farro with wheat berries in soups, salads, and as a side dish.
4. Brown Rice
Brown rice is a healthy, gluten-free substitute for farro.
Although brown rice has a different texture than farro, the two can still be interchanged. Brown rice is rich in fiber, similar to farro. You can use it instead of farro when preparing a side dish or a snack.
5. Oat Groats
Oat groats are an ideal substitute for farro. They are oat kernels, which means that their husk is removed. Oat groats and farro have similar tastes, textures, and nutrition.
Both are high in proteins, fibers, calcium, and antioxidants. Oat groats are also gluten-free. They have a nutty flavor similar to farro but tend to be slightly sweeter.
6. Winter Wheat
Winter wheat is sown during fall and is harvested in the spring.
It is called ‘winter wheat’ because it needs extremely cold temperatures to grow, i.e during the winter months. Winter wheat is an appropriate substitute for farro, especially since faro itself is a type of wheat grain. It is much more easily available than farro.
Farro and winter wheat have a similar taste but differ in texture. Farro tends to be denser than winter wheat. Due to its texture, you will need to soak and cook it longer than farro.
7. Spelt Berries
Spelt berries are kernels that are extracted from spelt grain or hulled wheat.
They are a good substitute for farro because of their similar texture. They are also rich in protein and fiber like farro. However, they differ in texture.
Farro tends to be soft. Therefore, you can use them in soups and alongside eggs and fruit. But, spelt berries are harder in texture. Hence, they are better for salads and breakfast bowls.
8. Teff
Teff is a nutritious, gluten-free substitute for farro.
It is rich in magnesium and calcium. It is perfect for those that are allergic to farro. Farro is not commonly used in baking but you can use teff for making bread, cereal, pancakes, etc.
9. Kasha
Kasha is made by simmering buckwheat groats until they are soft.
It is a perfect substitute for farro as they both have a nutty flavor and somewhat similar texture. Kasha tends to have a gummy texture that resembles farro.
They are both rich in antioxidants and fibers. Moreover, Kasha is also gluten-free.
10. Bulgur
Bulgur is usually made from wheat and is a good replacement for farro.
It has the same chewy texture and nutty taste as farro, which is why the two can be easily swapped. However, bulgur is not as nutritious as farro and has a lot of calories.
11. Rye Berries
Rye berries are obtained by removing the hull from rye grains. They are super versatile, which makes them a good substitute for farro.
They can replace farro in dishes like salads, bread, soups, etc. Additionally, they provide a lot of fiber and magnesium.
12. Freekeh
Freekeh is made by removing the hull from unripe durum wheat.
It shares the chewy texture and nutty taste as farro, making it a good substitute. Freekeh has an ample amount of protein. You can use it in dishes like soups, salads, stews.
13. Triticale Berries
Triticale berries are made by crossing rye and wheat.
They have the nutty flavor of wheat that is found in farro. Also, they have a rough texture. Note that these berries need to be soaked until they are soft enough to eat.
Triticale berries have more fiber than both rye and wheat.
14. Kamut
Kamut is an ancient grain that has many qualities of farro.
They both share a nutty flavor and provide a lot of protein and antioxidants. Kamut tends to have a texture rougher than farro, so you may need to soak it in water.
15. Other Types Of Farro
The most common type of farro that is used is dried.
Other types of farro include pearled farro, semi-pearled farro, whole farro, and spelt farro. If you managed to find these instead of dried farro, worry not.
You can easily substitute them for dried farro, as they are more or less the same as they have the same nutty flavor and chewy texture.
Related Questions
What is Farro?
Farro is a category of wheat grains that were first used in ancient Mesopotamia. There are three types of farro – farro grande, farro medico, and farro piccolo.
Farro is a nutritious, chewy grain. It is rich in fiber, proteins, antioxidants, and magnesium. It tends to be healthier than most other grains.
This product has a unique texture and a nutty flavor. Farro is also a good option to choose if you are trying to lose weight. It is versatile and can be used in almost any way that you can think of.
You can use Farro in salads, burgers, soups, breakfast bowls, etc. Or you can consume it as a snack alone or used to accompany foods like eggs, fruits, seafood, etc.
Can I substitute rice for Farro?
Yes, you can substitute rice for farro. However, rice has a very different taste and texture than farro. So if you are looking for something that tastes close to farro, consider using a substitute other than rice.
What is the same as Farro?
Although farro is a unique, ancient grain that has no exact match, there are some substitutes. The best substitutes for farro are barley and quinoa.
Can I replace Farro with barley?
Yes, you can replace farro with barley.
In fact, barley is the best substitute for farro. They both share a similar texture and a nutty taste. In most recipes, the two can be used interchangeably.
