Roasted Carrot Tahini Farro Bowl (Printable)
Hearty farro bowl with caramelized carrots, creamy tahini, and crispy shallots for a satisfying meal.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices on the bias
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 2 cups baby spinach or arugula
→ Grains
06 - 1 cup uncooked farro
07 - 3 cups water
08 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
→ Tahini Dressing
09 - ¼ cup tahini
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
12 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
13 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
14 - ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
→ Crispy Shallots
15 - 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
16 - ½ cup neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)
→ Garnishes
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
19 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss the sliced carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until deeply caramelized and fork-tender.
03 - While the carrots roast, rinse the farro under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine the farro, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes until the grains are tender. Drain any remaining liquid and set aside.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup or honey, grated garlic, and salt. Gradually add water, whisking until the dressing is smooth and reaches a pourable, drizzle-friendly consistency.
05 - In a small skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for 5–7 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season lightly with a pinch of salt.
06 - Divide the cooked farro among four bowls. Arrange the roasted carrots and a generous handful of baby spinach or arugula over each portion. Drizzle liberally with the tahini dressing.
07 - Finish each bowl with crispy shallots, chopped parsley, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a generous crack of black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crispy shallots alone are worth making this entire recipe, and you will find excuses to put them on everything afterwards.
- It reheats beautifully for lunch the next day, and the tahini dressing actually gets better as it sits in the fridge.
- Everything cooks on autopilot while you tidy the kitchen, which feels like a small miracle on busy evenings.
02 -
- Shallots go from golden to burnt in seconds, so pull them from the oil when they are still slightly lighter than you think they should be because they keep cooking on the paper towel.
- Tahini seizes and becomes thick and grainy when you first add liquid, but keep whisking and adding water and it will suddenly turn silky smooth.
- The roasted carrots are best served warm but this bowl is genuinely delicious at room temperature, which makes it ideal for packing ahead.
03 -
- Shake the dressing in a mason jar instead of whisking it in a bowl, because the lid prevents the tahini from splattering everywhere and you can store any leftovers right in the same container.
- Taste a piece of carrot straight off the baking sheet before you start assembling bowls, and if it needs more salt or a hit of acid, fix it now rather than trying to compensate later.