Farro, freekeh, and wheatberries are all news to me.
When I was in college, having grain for dinner meant you were cooking either pasta or rice. The pasta was always white and only choice when it came to rice was white or brown.
But then things got more complicated. Besides whole wheat pasta and jasmine, sushi, and arborio rice, grocery stores began to carry other grains.
Many of them been around for ages, but are relatively new to the American food scene: barley, cous cous, quinoa and so many kinds of wheat that my head spins.
Take for example, farro, freekeh and wheatberries. They are all types of wheat and look similar, so what’s the deal? How are they different? Can you substitute one type for another?
This topic came up as I decided to make a delicious-looking blueberry, vegetable, feta, and farro salad.
Realizing that I had freekeh but not farro, I made the substitution and thought the salad tasted wonderful. Then I remembered that one of my favorite salad “finds” last summer, Carol Sack’s Farro Salad with Pepperoncini, Pomegranate Seeds, and Feta, is adapted from a version that called for wheatberries.
I’d never thought about the differences among those grains, but I began to wonder if I should know more. And so I went down the internet rabbit hole and now I’m back to report on what I found.
What are Farro, Freekeh, and Wheatberries?
- Farro – Some sources say it is only made from emmer wheat while others say farro can be from emmer, einkorn or spelt wheat. In any event, it is chewy and slightly nutty in flavor. You can get whole grain farro, but the more common versions have some of the wheat bran removed, which makes the grain more tender. They are designated as either semi-pearled and pearled, like barley.
- Freekeh is young wheat that is lightly roasted. The result is supposed to be a slightly smoky taste, though I have to admit that I don’t notice the smokiness and wouldn’t have described it that way myself. Freekeh can be whole or cracked. The latter form is in smaller bits and takes a shorter time to cook.
- Wheatberries – Again, this is not a designation of a type of wheat; it refers to any whole wheat kernel (except for the inedible outer husk) grown in cold weather climates. That means it is chewy and takes a long time to cook.
3 Important Facts About Farro, Freekeh, and Wheatberries
- In dealing with farro and freekeh whether you’ve got the whole grain (like wheatberries) or not changes the cooking time and the chewiness of the grain. I like both whole grain and cracked freekeh. I have seen two sources describe whole farro as practically inedible – and suggesting that you need either a semi-pearled or pearled variety.
- All three grains come in varying sizes, depending on the source and brand. So while cooking instructions are helpful, you have to eyeball it and taste to be sure that the amount of time and liquid are right for the grain you are cooking.
- You can substitute one for the other, but if you’ve have refined tastebuds, you’ll notice a difference in their taste. Also, the size of the grain used will matter. If you use cracked freekeh, which is smaller than a full grain of freekeh, in place of semi-pearled farro or wheat berries, you’ll have a less chewy, grain that cooks faster.
How to Cook Farro, Freekeh, and Wheatberries
With credit to Serious Eats (one of my favorite food sites), you can basically cook them any of 3 ways:
- By letting the grain absorb water and then simmering the mixture until the liquid is gone.
- By cooking the grain for a short time with a bit of oil or butter before slowly adding the liquid, creating a pilaf or risotto-type mixture. Think of this method as yielding a result similar to traditional risotto or my version using barley risotto or my “addictive rice.”
- By cooking the grain like pasta, using more water/liquid than will be absorbed and draining off the excess.
More Information on Farro, Freekeh, and Wheatberries
Here are some resources I found useful in learning about these three types of wheat grains:
- Serious Eats’ Guide to Whole Grains
- The Whole Grains Council’s Grains A-to-Z
- An interview with Kelli Dunn, author of Everyday Freekeh Meals
- Greatist’s article, “17 Healthy Grains You’ve Never Heard Of”
- Blogpost by Two Healthy Kitchens on freekeh
- Culinate’s Grain Glossary
- Blogpost by Nourished Kitchen on ancient grains
Cyrus says
One of the most comprehensive insights into this topic (and something I’d been frantically Googling for earlier!). Thanks so much for putting this togather
motherwouldknow says
Thanks Cyrus. Sometimes I find my best posts come from the experience of trying to find information myself and realizing that I have to piece it together. When I’m done, I feel as though I should leave my research efforts on the blog so others can find it all in one place.
Lisanne says
Ditto!!! I have freekah & wheatberries in my pantry, and do NOT want to buy another product just to “experiment” with a new recipe lol ….. Thank you, Laura, for doing that for me 🙂
Laura says
So glad to help Lisanne 🙂
Manila Spoon says
I have only heard about these grains but never really knew much about them. Thanks for the information. 🙂
motherwouldknow says
Delighted to help Abigail – I found the info helpful too.
TLC says
I made a farro porridge recently with coconut milk and coconut water with pie spices and cranberries. I made it in my pressure cooker. It was very satisfying on a cold winter morning. Now I have been in search of farro to make it again and I unable find it. I was told the wheat berries where the same and when I used them I had to throw it in the trash, due to it not softening enough. My question is what other names is farro know by? Thanks
Ingrid says
I buy farro “perlato” from Walmart.com. I try to buy all my grains, quinoa, chia seeds, kasha (buckwheat), brown rice, flax seed, at the same time and I get free two day shipping when I spend $35.
Laura says
Ingrid – Sounds like a great plan. I’ve been buying stuff I don’t use in great quantities from the bulk bins at Whole Foods. If I buy a whole box, it sits in my cupboard too long!
sherry says
I want to make sliha but am unable to find white wheat berries what do I substitute
Laura says
Sherry, I believe that farro or barley will work as a substitute for wheatberries. Sorry I didn’t see your comment earlier. Hope this info is still helpful.
Brooke Lucy says
HI, I would love to help clarify some of the information that you present. Freekeh is in fact a wheat. Freekeh is a term that used to refer to green wheat harvested and smoked over a fire. The Freekeh that you buy in Wallmart or in any major chain is NOT traditional Freekeh…. in fact it is vary hard to find traditional Freekeh. I have never seen it offered after being at hundreds of trade shows. What is on the market today is wheat, (often spelt, emmer or red wheat) harvested normally, then soaked, spouted, then roasted. It is wheat.
Farro is an Italian term for ancient hulled wheat. There are three ancient kinds of wheat that fall under the category: Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt.
Pearled Farro is when the hull is shaved off with a scowering machine, leaving LESS nutrition in the grain but allowing for a quicker cook time.
Whole Grain Farro is the most nutritious option but has a longer cook time.
Laura says
Lucy, Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I do understand that freekeh is made from wheat – my reference was intended to mean that it is wheat that has been treated in a certain way. I’ve corrected the post to try to make that clear.
Mary Stewart says
From my experience over years of experimenting with grains, whole farro is worth the extra cooking time. More nutritional value, chewiness, and good taste make it an excellent and versatile ingredient in salads with fruits or vegetables, pilafs, and breads. It should be soaked ahead of cooking to shorten the cooking time and you can cook a larger batch at a time and freeze the excess cooked farro for another time. Holds up quite well in the freezer. I keep my grains in the fridge for longer freshness. They are a nutritional and economic bargain.
Laura says
Mary, Many thanks. Your thoughtful comments remind me to look for whole farro next time I go shopping.