Roasted Carrot Chickpea Farro
Seasoned with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper, this easy roasted carrot chickpea farro with pistachios and scallions has a touch of heat.
This Saturday is the day.
Finally!
After waiting a long six months, farmers market season kicks off this weekend in Chicago. My excitement is probably no surprise.
Browsing the stands is one of life’s simple joys.
It takes a few weeks for the selection to start gearing up, but I don’t mind. I will be buying early spring greens including at least one bunch of ramps during my first shopping trip.
The transition from winter to spring is always a challenge for me in the kitchen. There are moments when I’m out of ideas because certain dishes feel more appropriate for colder weather, or the opposite, they fast-forward right into summer.
The same can be said for figuring out what to wear. One day you are bare-legged and the next you’re back in boots.
As we inch closer to the real bounty of spring and summer, pantry ingredients become less important. I think it’s a combination of the longer days and access to outdoor markets multiple days per week that have me shopping more often during the week.
Picking up just one or two things doesn’t seem like such a big deal.
For now, I am still relying on pantry vegetables. With a longer shelf-life than most, carrots are mainstay in my kitchen from fall through spring. They are good raw and cooked including in this roasted carrot chickpea farro.
The Ingredients
This is what you need for the farro:
- Spices: I season the veggies with a mix of cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. The cumin and paprika add some earthiness while the cayenne gives the carrots and chickpeas a touch of heat.
- Olive Oil: The olive oil is the base for the seasonings. You end up with spiced olive oil, which coats the carrots and chickpeas well.
- Carrots: Roasting carrots brings out their subtle sweetness. They also take on the combination of cumin, paprika and cayenne, so they’re just a bit spicy.
- Chickpeas: Crispy roasted chickpeas are my hero ingredient in so many dishes. They have the most satisfying crunchy bite.
- Farro: Similar to barley, farro is a chewy grain that has a subtle nutty flavor. It’s versatile and goes with lots of different vegetables including carrots.
- Scallions: Sliced scallions give the farro a fresh oniony flavor, which tastes like spring to me.
- Pistachios: Chopped pistachios go so well with carrots. Plus, I love their bright green color.
How To Make Roasted Carrot Chickpea Farro
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Then combine the cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and olive oil in a large bowl. Toss in the diced carrots and chickpeas. Make sure to stir them around, so they are coated with the spiced oil.
Spread the carrots and chickpeas over a sheet pan and roast them for about a half hour. The carrots should be cooked through and lightly browned at the edges. And the chickpeas should be crispy.
While the carrots and chickpeas are in the oven, make the farro on the stove. Bring the water and grains to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes covered. Let the farro stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork and draining out the excess water.
Put the farro in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots and chickpeas along with sliced scallions, chopped pistachios, salt and black pepper. That’s it.
You can serve the farro warm or at room temperature.
Roasted Carrot Chickpea Farro
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and diced 1/4 inch
- 1-15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup farro
- 3 cups water
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and olive oil. Add the carrots and chickpeas, tossing to coat. Spread the carrots and chickpeas over a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast until the carrots are tender in the center and lightly browned at the edges and the chickpeas are crispy, about 25-30 minutes.
- In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the farro and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer the farro for 10 minutes until the grains are tender. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain any remaining water and transfer the farro to a large bowl.
- Stir the carrots and chickpeas into the farro with scallions, pistachios, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Did not make but looks good.
I had been looking at the bag of farro in my cabinet for months. I had heard good things about it, but it didn’t look yummy. Today I made this recipe. I have rarely had such success with a recipe. It was yummy, really yummy from the first bite! I am a big fan of cumin and pistachios, so that helped, but I will most definitely make this again. Really, really good.