Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Farro Bowl (Printable)
Roasted vegetables and nutty farro topped with creamy yogurt sauce for a satisfying Mediterranean meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup farro, rinsed
02 - 2 ½ cups water
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 small red onion, sliced
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Yogurt Sauce
12 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
13 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
14 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
15 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or parsley
17 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Toppings
18 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
19 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
20 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
21 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F.
02 - Toss the eggplant, red bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper on a large baking sheet. Spread in a single layer.
03 - Roast vegetables in the oven for 25–30 minutes, stirring halfway, until eggplant is golden and vegetables are tender.
04 - Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add farro, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20–25 minutes or until tender. Drain excess water if needed and fluff with a fork.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped mint or parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
06 - Divide cooked farro among four bowls. Top with roasted vegetables.
07 - Drizzle each bowl with yogurt sauce. Garnish with crumbled feta, toasted pine nuts, and chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The roasted vegetables develop a sweet smokiness that makes you forget you are eating something so healthy
- Farro has this incredible chewy texture that turns a simple bowl into something restaurant worthy
02 -
- Crowding the baking sheet will steam the vegetables instead of roasting them so use two sheets if needed
- The yogurt sauce can be made ahead and actually tastes better after the flavors have time to meld
03 -
- Salt the eggplant cubes and let them sit for 30 minutes before roasting if you have time. This draws out moisture and makes them creamier.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat watching constantly because they go from raw to burned in seconds.