WW Recipe of the Day: Slow Cooker Farro with Parmesan, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
Have you ever tried farro?
According to the package that has been sitting around my pantry for months, it's one of the oldest cultivated grains. Originally grown in the fertile crescent of the middle east, farro became the primary grain of the Roman Empire and is now mostly grown in Italy.
Slow Cooker Farro with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan
A relative of wheat, it's a healthy whole grain with a warm, nutty flavor and chewy texture, that reminds me of barley.
When I saw this simple recipe for farro with cherry tomatoes, basil and Parmesan cheese in The Italian Slow Cooker (affiliate link), I was curious to test it out.
Organic Italian Pearled Farro
Skinny on Slow Cooked Farro with Cherry Tomatoes
Flavorful, like a slightly more chewy risotto, this farro with cherry tomatoes, basil and Parmesan would make a tasty side dish. We enjoyed it as a vegetarian main dish with our favorite green salad at the moment.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Vegetarian Farro?
According to my calculations, each serving has 251 calories and:
6 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
6 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
2 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
6 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
If you skip the oil and Parmesan or use fat free cheese this will work with Weight Watchers Simply Filling Technique.
Slow Cooked Farro with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan Cheese
You should be able to find farro at Italian markets or health food stores. I picked mine up at Sprouts Market here in Phoenix. Enjoy!
Are You Ready To Slow Cook Yourself Slim?
If you've made this Farro with Parmesan, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker Farro with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups whole-grain or pearled faro, rinsed and picked over
- 1-½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Ideal Slow Cooker Size: 4-Quart.
- Place the onion, tomatoes, water, farro and salt in the slow cooker and stir well to combine.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 1-½ to 2-½ hours, or until the farro is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, basil and salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot garnished with more basil and Parmesan if desired.
Recipe Notes
Recipe source: slightly adapted from The Italian Slow Cooker (affiliate link) by Michele Scicolone
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
If you like crock pot farro with tomatoes, basil and cheese you might also like:
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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Doris
Hello--this looks delicious ..what can I sub for farro if I can not find it here ?? I already have wheatberries and pearl barley ..would either of those work ???
Martha McKinnon
Hi Doris, I've never cooked with wheatberries so I'm not sure about them. But I think pearl barley would work well.Let us know how it turns out!!