This farro recipe blends wholesome ingredients and bold flavor into an easy, crowd-pleasing side dish. It’s one of our most popular butternut squash recipes and a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table.
If you want a simple yet delicious holiday side, this farro casserole is a must-make.
Table of Contents
- What is Farro?
- What’s in it?
- How to make it
- Common Recipe Questions and Answers
- Other Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Butternut Squash Farro Recipe
What is Farro?
Farro is an ancient wheat grain with a nutty flavor and pleasantly chewy texture. Similar to barley but firmer after cooking, pearled farro holds up well in salads, soups, and hearty casseroles like this one. If you haven’t cooked with farro much, this recipe is an easy, flavorful way to get comfortable with it.
What’s in it?
This casserole pairs tender pearled farro with sweet butternut squash and smoky applewood bacon, finished with grated Parmesan. Chicken stock gives the farro a rich cooking liquid; homemade stock is recommended for the best flavor, but store-bought will work in a pinch.
How to make it
(Full recipe follows.)
The casserole is made in stages and finished in the oven. Start by baking the bacon on a rack so the fat renders evenly. While the bacon cooks, sauté diced onion in olive oil (and a touch of butter if you like) until soft and lightly browned. Add fresh thyme, salt, and pepper, then stir in the pearled farro and chicken stock to simmer briefly.
Pile the cubed butternut squash on top of the farro mixture, cover the pot, and bake alongside the bacon until the farro and squash are tender—about 30 minutes. The bacon will brown but not become paper-crisp; let it cool slightly, then dice into large, meaty pieces.
After the initial bake, sprinkle the diced bacon and grated Parmesan across the top and return the casserole to the oven uncovered for another 15–20 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the cheese has melted. Serve hot straight from the pot.
Pro Cooking Tip
Check the casserole while it bakes. If it looks dry, add a little extra chicken stock so the farro finishes tender and creamy.
Common Recipe Questions and Answers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat gently in a sauté pan with a splash of stock or water to restore moisture.
Yes. Farro is rich in fiber and nutrients, and the squash adds vitamins. Use less bacon or substitute with a plant-based option to reduce saturated fat.
Absolutely. Replace bacon with toasted walnuts or roasted mushrooms, use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock, and omit the Parmesan or use a vegan alternative. Roasted cherry tomatoes, oregano, or roasted garlic are great additions for extra flavor.
- Roasted baby tomatoes
- Oregano
- Whole cloves of roasted garlic
Other Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Roasted Rosemary Buttered Carrots
- Roasted Fennel
- Hasselback Butternut Squash
I hope you try this farro and butternut squash casserole — it’s a comforting, flavorful side that families and guests enjoy. If you make it, leave a comment to share how it turned out.
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Butternut Squash Farro
Equipment
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Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb Bacon, About 6 pieces, thick-cut applewood-smoked if possible.
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Yellow onion, large, diced
- 2 tsp Thyme leaves, fresh, chopped
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1.5 cups Pearled farro
- 3 cups Chicken stock
- 3 cups Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1″ dice
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
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1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place bacon on a rack set over a sheet pan and bake until browned.
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2. In a 9-inch Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil (and a tablespoon of butter if desired). Add the diced onion and cook 6–8 minutes until tender and beginning to brown. Stir in thyme, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook 1 minute.
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3. Add the pearled farro and chicken stock, bring to a simmer. Arrange the butternut squash on top of the farro mixture, cover the Dutch oven, and bake in the oven with the bacon for about 30 minutes, until squash and farro are tender. Check once during cooking and add a splash of stock if the mixture looks dry.
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4. When the bacon is browned, let it cool slightly and cut into large dice. Sprinkle the bacon and grated Parmesan over the casserole, then bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes more, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the cheese is melted. Serve hot directly from the pot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.