Shiitake Farro Recipe

Soak dried shiitakes

Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover with 1 cup very hot (not boiling) water. Let soak 20–30 minutes until rehydrated. Reserve soaking liquid by straining through a fine-mesh sieve lined with paper towel or coffee filter to remove grit; set liquid aside and slice rehydrated mushrooms if whole.

Rinse farro

Rinse pearled farro under cold running water in a fine-mesh sieve until water runs clear. Drain well.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Once butter is foaming, add the diced onion, carrot and celery. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms and the rehydrated shiitakes (reserve a few fresh slices for garnish if desired). Cook until mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, about 6 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.

Stir in the rinsed farro, then add the vegetable broth and the reserved shiitake soaking liquid (avoid any sediment—if any remains, discard). Add the water (if needed to cover) so farro is fully submerged. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover and cook until farro is tender but still has bite, about 25–30 minutes for pearled farro. Stir occasionally and skim any foam that rises to the surface.

If soup becomes too thick as farro absorbs liquid, add up to 1 cup additional hot water or broth and continue simmering until desired consistency is reached.

Remove the bay leaf. Stir in soy sauce and mirin, then taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add sherry vinegar or lemon juice to brighten flavors.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, the reserved fresh shiitake slices, and grated Parmesan if using.