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Home » Recipes » Dairy Free

Easy Farro Chili

By Erin · February 26, 2019 · Updated May 13, 2020 · 25 Comments

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Prep this Easy Farro Chili recipe and have your slow cooker do the rest! Filled with vegetables and farro, it’s a delicious, filling, vegetarian chili recipe that you’ll want to make again and again. 

Easy Farro Chili | Vegetarian chili with farro & beans made in your slow cooker!

Two words: FARRO. CHILI. Have you tried it? I feel like farro is highly underrated, but I love it so so much so today we're celebrating it. Rice and quinoa get all the love, but farro is the perfect grain to add to your next batch of chili. If you've never tried farro, I'd say it tastes most similar to brown rice: not a ton of flavor on its own but can easily be paired with practically anything.  

VEGETARIAN CHILI WITH FARRO

Lately, I've been into farro as a side dish, but it's also perfect in chili. Though I originally thought about adding some sort of meat to this, I ultimately decided that a vegetarian chili recipe was needed around here! The farro goes really well with traditional chili ingredients, like kidney beans, tomato paste, onion, garlic, and vegetable broth. I topped the chili off with a spoonful of sour cream and a pinch of cheese, but if you want to keep this recipe vegan-friendly, simply omit those ingredients or use dairy free alternatives. 

Easy Farro Chili

REASONS TO MAKE THIS EASY CHILI

If I haven't completely sold you on the idea of farro yet, let me convince you on why you need this farro chili in your life.

  • It's made in your slow cooker/crock pot, making it a hands-off kind of recipe. You have two options depending on your schedule 1) you can cook it on low for 5-6 hours or 2) you can cook it on high for 3 hours. It's completely up to you!
  • It's filled with nutrient-dense ingredients like onions, kidney beans and farro, meaning it's actually really good for you.
  • The soupiness can easily be adjusted. What do I mean by this? I mean that if you like your chili to be more like the consistency of soup, you may need to add a little more broth than what my recipe calls for. Or, if you like your chili to be a bit thicker, then you can achieve that by sticking to the recipe.
  • The recipe yields 4 on its own, but can easily be doubled or tripled for plenty of leftovers. 

Easy Farro Chili | Made in your slow cooker--this recipe couldn't be simpler!

FARRO CHILI ADD-INS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Beans: Traditional chili calls for kidney beans, so that's what I used in this recipe. However, feel free to use any beans you have on hand, like pinto or black beans. 

Broth: The recipe calls for vegetable broth because it's a vegetarian-friendly chili recipe, but you're more than welcome to use chicken broth. Also, if you don't have the full amount of broth, you can use some water instead. 

Diced tomatoes: Any time I use diced tomatoes, I always use the fire roasted variety because I think they have so much more flavor. Alternatively, if you don't have 2 cans diced tomatoes you can use 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 cup marinara sauce. 

Add-ins: Topping chili with sour cream, cheese and cilantro is pretty standard, but feel free to get crazy with the add-ins. Other fun add-ins include jalapeños, peppers (red, green), and/or sweet potatoes. 

If you still haven’t experimented with farro, this is a great starting point because it's delicious when paired with vegetables and kidney beans and tomato sauce, just like in this farro chili recipe. What a coincidence.

OTHER ALMOND EATER CHILI RECIPES:

  • black eyed peas beer chili
  • butternut squash chickpea chili
  • turkey sweet potato chili

Easy Farro Chili

This farro chili is made in your slow cooker and is a delicious vegetarian chili recipe.
4.63 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Erin

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup yellow onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 28 oz. diced tomatoes fire roasted; with their juices
  • 6 oz. tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cups farro rinsed
  • 32 oz. kidney beans (2 cans); drained and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 3 cups vegetable broth

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes until soft. Transfer to your slow cooker.
  • Add all of the remaining ingredients to your slow cooker and give the mixture a good stir.
  • Cook on HIGH for 2 ½-3 hours, or until the farro is soft. NOTE: this chili is on the thicker side -- if you want it to be more soup-like, add an additional ½-1 cup of broth.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are per serving and are an estimation
*Don't love kidney beans? Sub pinto beans instead! 
*Storage: store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; To reheat: reheat chili in a large saucepan on the stove, stirring until it's warm

Nutrition

Calories: 653kcal | Carbohydrates: 133g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1672mg | Potassium: 2023mg | Fiber: 33g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1578IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 12mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!

 

Easy Farro Chili | A chili recipe featuring farro and beans made in your slow cooker! Prep time is less than 5 minutes | thealmondeater.com

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About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karen Fitz says

    October 25, 2022 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious and super easy. I did it in the insta pot for 30 minutes! Thank you for posting, this definitely will be a family favorite 💜

    Reply
    • Erin says

      October 26, 2022 at 7:20 am

      I'm glad you enjoyed it and that it worked well in the Instant Pot!

      Reply
  2. Dianne Diffenderfer says

    October 03, 2021 at 12:23 pm

    4 stars
    This recipe looks great. I love farro and have recently enjoyed use it in recipes. Can this recipe be converted for an Instant Pot? I gave my slow cooker away when I bought it.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      October 03, 2021 at 1:40 pm

      Hi! It probably can be but I haven’t tested it so I don’t know the exact cook time for the IP. Sorry!

      Reply
  3. Michelle Warburton says

    October 06, 2019 at 10:10 pm

    5 stars
    It finally feels like fall and this chili totally hit the spot!! Love being able to toss everything into the crockpot and have a no-fuss dinner any night of the week. The farro is a delicious and hearty touch!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      October 08, 2019 at 10:03 am

      YAYYY!! Thanks for the comment and I'm glad this was a hit 🙂

      Reply
  4. Rolandz says

    April 03, 2019 at 12:46 am

    Hi Erin,

    How many total ounces of diced tomatoes are needed?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      April 03, 2019 at 9:29 am

      You'll need 2 cans and each can is about 14 oz., so approx. 28 oz.

      Reply
  5. Kristin says

    November 18, 2018 at 10:21 am

    4 stars
    What a great idea using farro. I loved this recipe but I did increase the spices, I used a tbsp of chili, tsp of cumin and a pinch of cinnamon. Also I only used one cup of broth because my crockpot is small. The thickness of the chili was perfect for me. Thanks for the recipe Erin!

    Reply
  6. Pam says

    April 27, 2018 at 11:08 pm

    I am a little confused. Does the farro go into the crockpot cooked or dry out of the package.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      April 29, 2018 at 12:15 pm

      Dry! And then it'll cook in the crock pot.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        April 29, 2018 at 7:11 pm

        Thank you

  7. Emilie @ Emilie Eats says

    February 27, 2016 at 4:20 pm

    Ever since I discovered Trader Joe's quick-cooking farro, I've been obsessed with the stuff! It's so deliciously chewy and filling. I love putting it in a chili! Love it!

    Reply
  8. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says

    February 26, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    BAHAH OMG, I have done that with a few recipes! Hey, then you just KNOW it was THAT good right?
    I've yet to try farro, but it's been on my "to make" list. I can't resist a good chili and this looks bomb!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      February 27, 2016 at 1:08 pm

      Exactly! And once you try farro I know you'll be hooked.

      Reply
  9. Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday says

    February 26, 2016 at 7:27 pm

    "Is it sad that when I have plans, I get a little burst of anxiety because I worry about not getting any work done?" <-- I relate on so many levels. It's unfortunate but oh-so-true.
    And I adore farro but definitely don't use it enough, so this looks like a pretty excellent way to change that! 🙂

    Reply
    • Erin says

      February 27, 2016 at 1:08 pm

      Sooo unfortunate hahah ahhh well. And I'm the same way--love farro but forget about it, except when it comes to chili apparently.

      Reply
  10. Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says

    February 26, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    That's too funny that you already have a really similar recipe! That just goes to show how good it is, right? 😉
    It looks delicious and I love how easy it is!

    I'm the same way about taking time off on the weekend. We have plans too and I'm already having anxiety about preparing my posts for next week. It's never-ending! I Anyways, I hope you are able to chill and have a great weekend!!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      February 27, 2016 at 1:07 pm

      Isn't it sad? Like, a little funny but mostly sad. I'm getting stuff done now, and laughing at myself for being stressed over nothing. I hope you're getting stuff done too--have fun with your plans!

      Reply
  11. ACKTIVE LIFE says

    February 26, 2016 at 10:40 am

    OMG I love farro and had no idea you could put it in the slow cooker...GENIUS! I will definitely try to make this and may even add some extra protein to it...I will report back after I've made it. Thanks for sharing and Happy Friday! XOXO

    Reply
    • Erin says

      February 27, 2016 at 1:06 pm

      Yaaaa you totally can and yes, please report back!

      Reply
  12. lindsay says

    February 26, 2016 at 8:14 am

    all i want to do is sing "pharro pharro ... oh oh let your people go, oh! ya ya ya ya." haha I grew up in bible study school, can you tell? and pharro is pronounced like farro. okay i'm a dork

    Reply
    • Sarah | Well and Full says

      February 26, 2016 at 1:17 pm

      Hahaha I had the exact same reaction, Lindsay!! Now I have that song stuck in my head :p

      Reply
      • Erin says

        February 27, 2016 at 1:05 pm

        Perhaps I should YouTube this... 😀 Clueless as usual!

      • Don says

        September 29, 2019 at 3:48 am

        Lindsay, you are an adorable dork!

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