Spanish-Style Farro Bowl with Romesco, Manchego, and Charred Padrón Peppers

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A fast, vibrant grain bowl built on nutty pearled farro and topped with smoky Catalan romesco, blistered padrón peppers, shaved manchego, and toasted marcona almonds. It is the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like a tapas crawl finished in a single plate.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 585 kcalCalories
• 34 gFat
• 6 gSaturated Fat
• 54 gCarbs
• 9 gFiber
• 7 gSugar
• 16 gProtein
• 520 mgSodium
• 640 mgPotassium
• 220 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 68 mgVitamin C
• 120 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the farro and vegetables

• 1 cup pearled farro, rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 8 oz padrón peppers (or shishito peppers)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more to taste

For the romesco sauce

• 1 large red bell pepper, charred and peeled
• 1/4 cup toasted blanched almonds
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika (pimentón de la Vera)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the sherry-lemon vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For serving

• 3 oz aged manchego cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
• 1/3 cup toasted marcona almonds, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Cook the farro: combine the rinsed farro and vegetable broth in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20-22 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain off any excess liquid, fluff with a fork, and stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
2. Meanwhile, make the romesco: in a food processor, combine the charred red pepper, almonds, garlic, tomato paste, sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Pulse to a coarse paste, then stream in the olive oil while running until thick and spoonable. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
3. Char the vegetables: heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Toss the padrón peppers and cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sear the peppers for 2-3 minutes, turning, until blistered and softened; remove to a plate and tent with foil, then add the tomatoes and cook 1-2 minutes until just bursting.
4. Whisk the vinaigrette: in a small bowl, combine the sherry vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, and shallot. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified, then season with salt and pepper.
5. Assemble the bowls: divide the warm farro among 4 shallow bowls, spoon 2-3 tablespoons of romesco over each, then top with the charred padróns and burst cherry tomatoes. Drizzle generously with the sherry-lemon vinaigrette.
6. Finish with a tumble of shaved manchego, a scatter of marcona almonds, fresh parsley leaves, and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately while the farro is still warm and the cheese just begins to soften.

Cook’s Notes

• Padrón peppers vary wildly in heat; taste one before serving and warn guests that roughly 1 in 10 is spicy.
• Toast the almonds yourself in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes for much better flavor than pre-packaged.
• The romesco keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days in a jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top, making this bowl great for meal prep.
• Swap pearled farro for pearl couscous or barley if needed, adjusting cook time per package directions.
• Use a vegetable peeler on the manchego block to get delicate, paper-thin shavings that melt slightly on the warm farro.

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