By Marc Matsumoto
I’ve always liked the idea of breakfast bowls because they’re so colorful and nutritionally balanced, but I could never quite get myself to love them because I’m more of a savory breakfast person. With this Savory Kale and Farro Breakfast Bowl, those days are behind me. I could eat one of these (or some variation), every morning for breakfast!
This bowl is not only nutritionally balanced, it has enough fiber to keep you feeling full until lunch. The dressing packs a wallop of flavor with smoky toasted sesame oil that adds a marvelous earthy flavor while soy sauce packs in loads of umami. The balsamic vinegar does its part by imparting a mild tang and natural sweetness that’s the perfect counterpoint to the verdant and mildly bitter kale. Finally the egg, lends a mellow richness that brings all the elements together in a marriage of textures, tastes, colors and flavors.
Because the cooking time for farro can vary so greatly (anywhere from 15-45 minutes), it can be difficult to calculate exactly how much water to add in order to cook it like rice. Instead, I like to cook farro like pasta by boiling it in an excess amount of water and then draining it when it’s cooked. That way you can taste it along the way and remove it whenever it’s done to your liking. The farro tastes best when cooked in vegetable stock, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can simply boil it in water and add vegetables to the cooking liquid, like onions, carrots and celery tops.
For the egg, you can cook it however you like, but I like topping this with either poached eggs, sunny side up eggs, or slow cooked eggs. If you want to make this vegan, just leave the egg out and top the bowl with some roasted root vegetables instead.
Savory Kale and Farro Breakfast Bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup farro (washed)
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3.5 ounces kale
- 2 eggs
Directions
- Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and then add the farro. Cook until it reaches your desired tenderness (usually 15-45 minutes).
- Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and black pepper.
- Trim the stems off of the kale and then chop into thin ribbons.
- Prepare the eggs how you like them (see headnotes for suggestions and links to recipes).
- When the farro is done, drain it well in a colander and then add it to a bowl along with the kale and dressing. Toss to coat evenly and then divide between two bowls.
- Top with the eggs, and then season the eggs with salt and pepper.
Yield: 2 servings
Marc Matsumoto is a culinary consultant and recipe repairman who shares his passion for good food through his website norecipes.com and the Fresh Tastes blog.