Today I sprained my ankle working out, meaning that my only joy during this pandemic–walking around my neighborhood–is out of the question for a little while. Despite this, I’m thankful for my overall health, and more time spent indoors means more time in the kitchen making recipes for you! It was a little tough to do some of these overhead shots on a ladder, so my lovely husband took some of them for me. I also wheeled around the kitchen in my office chair making this recipe, looking completely pathetic, so the struggle is real right now. But it was worth it! This Crispy Parmesan Broccolini and Farro is just what you need. Trust me.
This recipe was going to be a pasta, but I’m so tired of pasta. Anyone else? I switched it up and used farro and white beans instead. I’m so glad I did, because I have a ton of farro that’s been hanging around my pantry for too long. Farro is a really lovely whole grain if you haven’t used it before! It cooks up a lot like rice, but with a distinctly wheaty flavor. I think it goes a long way in salads, but I also like to use it as risotto or in dishes that are kind of sort of salad-y like this one.
I love nothing more than crispy broccoli, but broccolini is even better! The stalks are totally edible, too, so just chop them up and throw them in the pan. The broccolini browns up nicely with the addition of parmesan at a high temperature, and it gets sort of dehydrated, which is what you want to achieve that crispy crunch. Then we mix it with some white beans, farro, and a lemon chili garlic oil for maximum flavor. It’s the perfect easy dinner for two. See the full recipe below.
- 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup plus 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked farro
- 15 oz can cannelini beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bunch broccolini and stems, chopped
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Zest the lemon and reserve. Then cut the lemon in half.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, add ⅓ cup olive oil. Once shimmering, add your chili flakes and sliced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until the garlic is aromatic. Add the lemon zest and stir. Set aside.
- Bring a small pot of salted water to boil. Once boiling, add the farro. Cook for 20 minutes uncovered. During the last minute of cooking, add the rinsed beans and cook just one minute. Drain in a colander.
- Meanwhile, on a large baking sheet, add the chopped broccolini, 3 tbsp olive oil, and a generous few pinches of kosher salt. Toss to coat. Squeeze half the lemon over the broccoli and grind some fresh ground pepper on top. Top with the parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until the broccolini is wilted and lightly browned and crispy. Remove from the oven.
- To the garlic olive oil mixture, add the farro and beans. Add the broccolini mixture, scraping all the crispy bits from the pan into the oil. Toss to coat. Squeeze the remaining lemon over the dish and taste for salt. Serve immediately and top with more parmesan cheese.
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