This delicious farrotto recipe features sweet roasted squash and savory roasted garlic. With a delightfully chewy texture, farrotto (or farro risotto) is a unique take on traditional risotto. The squash puree provides so much creaminess, and a topping of chili oil adds another dimension of flavor.

This recipe is such a cozy bowl of goodness! It's perfect for ushering in the cooler months and is vegan and vegetarian-friendly. The farro cooks in the flavorful liquid until tender, as the liquid thickens and clings to the chewy grains.
If you've never tried farrotto, it's a lovely way of enjoying this whole grain in a risotto-style dish. For more tasty vegetarian recipes, try my mushroom farrotto, Mediterranean chickpea soup, or chipotle breakfast beans.
Ingredient Notes
- Chili oil: You can use your favorite chili oil to top the risotto, as long as it contains some sort of sesame oil or sesame seeds. The nuttiness from the sesame helps balance everything nicely. I recommend either Lee Kum Kee's Chiu Chow Chili Oil, Chili Crisp, or Salsa Macha.
Tip: Over the years, I've found that dried chiles are often in the most random sections of the grocery store, so if you don't immediately find them, just ask an employee.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1 - On a baking sheet, roast the squash and garlic in a single layer until softened and golden brown. Let cool slightly until you're able to scoop the flesh out of the squash and squeeze the garlic out.
Step 2 - Meanwhile, steep the ancho chile in hot vegetable stock.
Step 3 - Puree the vegetables with the chile-vegetable stock and miso paste until smooth.
Step 4 - Saute the onion with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil until soft and translucent, and toast the farro grains.

Step 5 - Add the liquids: Over medium-high heat, bring the farro to a boil with the squash puree and additional vegetable stock.

Step 6 - Simmer: Over medium-low heat, cook until tender, about 30 - 40 minutes. Of course, you will still want to stir every 5 - 10 minutes to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom or sides of the pan, but you don’t need to stir as often as risotto.

Step 7 - Finish cooking: After cooking, the farro will be tender, chewy, and al dente.

Step 8 - Serve: Stir in a bit of butter and vinegar, season with salt and black pepper. Top with a bit of chili oil and parsley, and serve. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
Add as much liquid as you need. If you end up running out of cooking liquid before the farro is tender, add about ½ cup of additional liquid at a time as needed. If there's too much liquid and the farro is already cooked, continue reducing until the liquid clings to the grains.
Adjust the flavors as you'd like. This farotto has a mix of sweet, caramelized, spicy, and savory flavors. If you need a little bit more acidity, add a bit more vinegar. If you want more heat, add more chili oil.
Storage Instructions

Store leftover farrotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: I reheat my leftovers in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet on the stove. I usually add a tablespoon of butter and ¼ cup of water or stock just to loosen things up. Then I'll reheat it gently over medium heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Recipe FAQs
You can, just note the risotto might be slightly less sweet. Because butternut squash is significantly larger than honeynut, you will likely only need about one-third to half of the roasted squash.
While I do recommend trying this version with the ancho chile, you can definitely substitute! Instead of using an ancho chile, add in 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.
Farro should taste slightly chewy and tender when cooked through. The best way I describe it is to take a bite of the farro; if it’s hard, it needs more time. If it feels like it’s not too hard, but it requires a lot of chewing, it needs more time. And if it tastes tender, with a slight bite, it’s done. It shouldn’t taste mushy or it’s overcooked.
Yes! The seeds are edible and make a great snack. I often scoop out the seeds, then soak them in a bowl of water for a couple hours to help separate them from the stringy fibers. Then, I'll pat them dry and roast them with a bit of oil and spices (I like garam masala, brown sugar, paprika, and salt) at 325°F/163°C for 10 - 15 minutes until toasted and crispy! You can even top the farrotto with the spiced seeds.
No, because you're making a farrotto that simmers for a while, anyway, you don't need to pre-soak the farro.

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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaCreamy Squash Farrotto
Equipment
- Immersion blender, or a stand blender
Ingredients
- 1 (⅔ - ¾) pound honeynut squash, small to medium-sized*
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 head garlic
- 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
- 3 cups vegetable broth**, divided | plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- ¾ cup semi-pearled farro
- 1 sprig rosemary
- A pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons chili oil, such as Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chili Oil or Chili Crisp or salsa macha
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Optional toppings:
- A dollop of greek yogurt, parmesan, or vegan yogurt, for additional creaminess
Instructions
- Place a rack in the bottom-third of the oven and preheat to 425°F/218°C. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Prep the roasted vegetables: Using a knife, cut 1 (⅔ - ¾) pound honeynut squash in half lengthwise. Trim the ends of the squash, and scoop out the stringy fiber and seeds with a spoon. Transfer the squash to the baking sheet, cut side up, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Slice ¼-inch off 1 head garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle the cloves with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap completely in foil and place on the baking sheet.
- Roast the vegetables: Place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottom of the squash is browned. Flip the squash over, then bake for another 10 minutes, or until the squash is caramelized on both sides and very soft. Remove the squash from the oven, and continue roasting the garlic for another 10 - 15 minutes, or until it is very soft and caramelized (about 40 minutes total). Cool the squash and garlic until you can handle them with your hands.
- Rehydrate the chile: While the vegetables roast, prep the chile. Place 1 dried ancho chile in 1 cup of broth in a large microwave-safe measuring cup. Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes, or until the broth is steaming. Cover the measuring cup and allow to sit for 15 minutes to soften the chile further.
- Make the squash-chile puree: Scoop the flesh from the squash and transfer to the measuring cup with the chile and broth (you are not discarding the chile, instead you'll be pureeing it with the squash); you should have about ½ cup cooked squash (3.7 ounces). Squeeze out the garlic cloves from their head and add to the measuring cup, along with 2 tablespoons white miso paste. Blend in an immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Note: You can also use a regular blender to do this. If the vegetables are still hot, make sure to remove the center cap from the blender lid (this helps release steam). Cover the lid with a kitchen towel, then blend until smooth.
- Saute the onion: Set a small (2.5-quart) french oven over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute 1 small onion until soft and golden-brown, about 8 - 10 minutes.
- Toast the farro: Add ¾ cup semi-pearled farro, and toast for 1 - 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until nutty.
- Turn the heat off for a minute, then add the squash puree, 2 more cups of broth, 1 sprig rosemary, and A pinch ground cinnamon to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper. Note: Turning the heat off before adding the squash puree prevents it from splattering everywhere.
- Cook the farro: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce and simmer, uncovered, for 35 - 45 minutes, or until the farro is tender, but still has a slightly chewy bite. The liquid should have reduced significantly and cling nicely to the sauce. Stir every 5 - 10 minutes to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom or sides of the pan. Note: Farro should taste slightly chewy and tender when cooked through. Take a bite of the farro; if it’s hard, it needs more time. If it feels like it’s not too hard, but it requires a lot of chewing, it needs more time. If it tastes tender, with a slight bite, it’s done. It shouldn’t taste mushy, or it’s overcooked.If you end up running out of liquid before the farro is tender, add about ½ cup of additional liquid at a time as needed. If there’s too much liquid and the farro is already cooked, continue reducing until the liquid clings to the grains.
- Serve: Remove the woody rosemary stem. Stir in 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Taste the farro and season with salt and pepper. Distribute amongst serving bowls and top with 2 tablespoons chili oil and ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley.Note: This farotto has a mix of sweet, caramelized, spicy, and savory flavors. If you need a little bit more acidity, add a bit more vinegar. If you want more heat, add more chili oil. Want creaminess and tang? Add a dollop of greek yogurt, cheese, or vegan yogurt.1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons chili oil, ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, A dollop of greek yogurt, parmesan, or vegan yogurt
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Abha
This is such a simple and yet decadent recipe! I would have never thought to use a squash purée as a thickener for any starch - now I want to try to recreate this using different squashes and see what works! My friends were so impressed that I whipped this together so quickly on a weeknight and it was the perfect fall center dish. The chilli crisp is a must for the perfect texture contrast. Can’t wait to experiment with this method more!
Karishma
Thank you so much for your review! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe -- I'd love to see how this works with other squash!