Harissa Lentil and Farro Bowl

Harissa Lentil and Farro Bowl, a tasty grain bowl that combines lentils and farro with caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, and spicy harissa sauce. Our go-to weeknight dinner that’s great for leftover!

Love lentils? Love farro? Combine them in a bowl! This super simple lentil and farro grain bowl recipe has caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes (and their flavorful oil!), arugula, and a dollop of harissa sauce for a kick of spice. Easy and filling this plant-based bowl!

👉 Ready to learn how to make a spicy harissa lentil farro bowl? Let’s do it!

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🍲 Ingredients

• Lentils: The base of this bowl, lentils are a great plant-base protein and packs loads of fiber. We like green lentils, but any type of lentils will do well in this recipe.
• Farro: A whole grain from wheat, farro has a spongey mouthfeel and is a great texture addition to compliment the lentils.
• Onion: Any onion will do, but we like both red onions and yellow onions because they have a sweeter taste when cooked.
• Sun-dried tomatoes (and oil): About 1 cup (or 1 small jar) of sun-dried tomatoes, and make sure to also use their flavored oil (it contributes a lot of flavor to this dish).
• Arugula: A handful of fresh arugula for a hit of green, but spinach or other light leafy greens also work.
• Harissa: A spicy sauce made from red pepper, harissa adds a kick of heat and flavor (we love Mina brand harissa).
• Olive oil, salt, pepper: A little oil to cook, and salt and pepper to flavor.
• Recommended tools: small and large pots, a large Dutch oven, knife

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🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)

1️⃣ Step One: Cook lentils and farro

The first step to make this bowl is to cook the lentils and the farro. The great news is that you can cook them both at the same time, here’s how:

1. How to cook farro on the stovetop: For the farro add 1 cup of farro and 2 cups of water to a medium pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid and cook until farro is soft and water has evaporated, about 20 minutes.
2. How to cook lentils on the stovetop: At the same time you start the farro, cook the lentils. To do this, add 1.5 cups of lentils to a pot with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are soft and water is evaporated, about 20 minutes.

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2️⃣ Step Two: Cook onions and sun-dried tomatoes

While the lentils and farro are cooking, it’s time to cook the onions and sun-dried tomatoes.

To do this, bring a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat and add olive oil. When oil is heated, add onion slices and cook low and slow until onions are caramelized, soft, and browned.

Then reduce heat to a very low simmer and add 1 cup (or entire jar) of sun-dried tomatoes and their oil.

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3️⃣ Step Three: Combine bowl ingredients and serve

When the lentils and farro are done, add them to the pot with the onions and sun-dried tomatoes. Add the fresh arugula, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

To serve, simply add the farro and lentil mixture to a bowl and add a dollop of harissa sauce on top. Then enjoy!

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🧊 How to store

This lentil bowl recipe is a GREAT meal prep recipe because it’s easy to store and serve all week. Here’s how:

1. Refrigerator storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
2. Freezer storage: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for 1-2 months. To thaw remove container to the refrigerator until thawed and then reheat.
3. How to reheat: To reheat on the stovetop, add a small amount of oil to a pan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until fully heated. To reheat in the microwave, add to a microwave safe dish and reheat on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring once to heat evenly.

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👉 More easy grain bowl recipes

Want more easy bowl recipes made with grains? We’ve got you covered:

• Roasted Vegetable Barley Bowl
• Spicy Peanut Quinoa Bowl
• Ginger Soy Tofu Bowl

UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in November 2017 and updated with new photos and instructions in September 2022.