wheat berries

Parmesan rinds are magic. After a long braise, that hard, waxy scrap infuses the entire soup with its rich, distinctive flavor. Here, they make a wholesome soup taste like an incredible indulgence. So don't ever throw them away. They keep in the freezer indefinitely. The wheat berries here are also a great match for the slow cooker. While they may not be the most glamorous grains, they hold their shape and take a conveniently long time to get tender. You can find them at many grocery or natural-foods stores, as well as online. But you can also substitute farro or spelt (whole grains but not pearled). Just note that they'll cook faster and may end up quite soft after an 8-hour cook time.

Slow Cooker White-Bean Parmesan Soup

cannellini

Kosher salt and black pepper

olive oil

onion,

fennel bulb,

celery stalks, sliced 1/2-inch thick

garlic cloves, roughly chopped

fennel seeds

red-pepper flakes

rosemary

dry white wine

chicken stock

flat-leaf parsley, chopped

lemon

Put the soaked, drained beans in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, and season them generously with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan rinds and the wheat berries.

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the fennel. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the fennel is softened and the onion is lightly browned, about 5 more minutes. Add the celery and garlic, and cook, stirring, until just softened, about 1 minute. Add the fennel seeds and red pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until combined and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rosemary and the wine and let the wine bubble until the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.

Scrape the mixture from the skillet into the slow cooker. Add the stock, and season it: Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, if you are using low-sodium broth, or 1 teaspoon salt, if using homemade unsalted stock. (Do not add salt now if you are using fully salted broth.) Stir to combine, and cook on low until the wheat berries are tender and the beans are creamy, about 8 to 10 hours. (Taste the beans to make sure they are creamy; they can vary in their cooking time depending on their age.) The soup can hold well on warm for 1 to 2 additional hours.

Before serving, remove and discard the rosemary sprigs. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and reserved fennel fronds. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve in bowls topped generously with grated Parmesan.

We love wheat berries! This chewy, nutty whole grain is a delicious addition to soups, salads, bowls, and more.

How to Cook Wheat Berries

dry wheat berries

water (more as needed)

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Rinse the wheat berries and add to the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 25 to 40 for soft wheat berries, 45 to 90 minutes for hard wheat berries, or until tender. The timing will depend on your wheat berries. Add more water if necessary. Drain.

Full of chewy grains, caramelized broccoli and juicy mushrooms, this delicious blend of textures and flavors can feel like the best way to get your vitamins and fiber. The omelet ribbons come together almost like fettuccine on top, and <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019272-lemon-herb-buttermilk-dressing">the lemony, herbal buttermilk dressing</a>  lends the bowl some decadence. If you have the vegetables and grains already cooked and stashed in the fridge, this dish comes together in just a few minutes. Feel free to use any combination of roasted vegetables and grains you like — this recipe can be a template for all your leftovers. 

Roasted-Mushroom-and-Broccoli Grain Bowls

broccoli

Salt

Olive oil,

eggs

Lemon-herb buttermilk dressing, to taste (see recipe)

almonds

Make the vegetables: Cut the broccoli into bite-size florets. Peel the stems, and cut these into 3/4-inch pieces. In a large bowl, season the broccoli well with salt, and toss with 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil to coat. Spread it out in one layer on a sheet pan. Season and oil the mushrooms the same way, and spread them out on a separate sheet pan. Roast the vegetables until the mushrooms are browned but still juicy and the broccoli has charred edges, 25 to 30 minutes.

Make the omelet ribbons: In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a couple pinches of salt. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat until hot. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil. When the oil slips around the pan like water, add half the egg, and swirl to coat the pan. Cook until set, about 30 seconds. Use a spatula to roll the omelet up like a jellyroll toward the edge of the pan, then turn it out onto a cutting board. Repeat with the rest of the egg. Slice the omelets into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons.

In a mixing bowl, season and dress the warm grains with salt and the dressing to taste. Divide among bowls. Top the grains with some mushrooms and broccoli, drizzling on a little more dressing. Top with the omelet ribbons and your crunchy garnish, and eat. Use the leftovers to make this again.

Eaten whole, wheat berries have a strong nutty flavor, making them an earthy alternative to rice, couscous and quinoa. They can be soaked overnight so they’ll cook faster and have a lighter, softer texture, but it’s not necessary. A great way to prepare them is in tabbouleh, as a substitute for bulgur wheat. Suddenly, what is often only a small part of a Middle-Eastern mezze platter is elevated to a main dish.

Wheat-Berry Tabbouleh

wheat berries, presoaked

cucumber,

(about 2 cups) baby heirloom or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

scallions, thinly sliced

parsley leaves

mint leaves

extra virgin olive oil

lemon juice

salt, divided

Black pepper

Add wheat berries, 4 cups of water and a tablespoon of salt to a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and bring to a simmer, then cook for 45 to 50 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

Place the cucumber, tomatoes and scallions in a large bowl.

Finely chop the parsley and mint together, and add them to the large bowl.

Add the cooled wheat berries to the mixture, and mix in the olive oil and lemon juice.

Whole wheat berries lend themselves to both summer and winter dishes. Much of the flavor in this salad comes from the tangy juice of chopped tomatoes, almost like a marinade for the chewy wheat. The salad is all about texture, with crunchy celery (or cucumber) and soft feta contrasting with wheat.

Wheat Berry and Tomato Salad

farro

pepper

tomatoes

sherry vinegar

balsamic vinegar

celery

lemon juice (more to taste)

feta, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

mint

parsley

Place the wheat berries and their soaking water in a large saucepan. Add salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour or until the grains are tender and beginning to splay. Turn off the heat, and allow the wheat berries to sit in the hot water for another 15 minutes. Drain.

While the wheat berries are cooking, dice the tomatoes and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, and add the sherry and balsamic vinegars. Toss together, and let sit for one hour.

After you drain the wheat berries, toss with the tomatoes and juices. Allow to marinate together for one hour. Add the remaining ingredients, and toss together. Refrigerate until ready to serve, or serve at once.

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Top 5 wheat berries recipes from across the web

The most viewed wheat berries recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Slow Cooker White-Bean Parmesan Sou...

How to Cook Wheat Berries

Roasted-Mushroom-and-Broccoli Grain...

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Wheat Berry and Tomato Salad

The most viewed wheat berries recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine