Instant Pot Farro Stuffing with Sausage and Sweet Potatoes
Posted: 11/13/2017
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Great any day as a complete meal, or as a Thanksgiving side, this Instant Pot Farro Stuffing with Sausage and Sweet Potatoes is flavorful, warm and filling.
If I’m not cooking chicken or eggs in my Instant Pot but trying something new, I feel like it’s a bit of a gamble sometimes. I do a little research on how to cook that specific item in the pressure cooker first or I just wing it. With this Instant Pot farro, I was rolling the dice the first time I made it. Is it going to turn out? Will it turn into an unidentifiable mush? Will the farro cook all the way?
Well, I come to you with good news. It is a success! The farro turns out perfectly chewy, just like it should be, the sweet potatoes stay intact, and the level of liquid is perfect! I am happy as a clam.
The apples tend to disintegrate a bit, but I love the subtle tart sweetness and flavor they add throughout the farro stuffing because of this. It does leave the peels behind — again, I don’t mind this because I love eating the apple peels but if you’d prefer that not to happen, peel your apple before chopping it.
Tip: Since this farro stuffing also includes sweet potatoes and cranberries which both add a sweet component, I recommend using a more tart apple such as a Granny Smith.
The great part about using the Instant Pot to make this farro recipe is that you’re only making one pan dirty.
Brown your sausage using the “Saute” setting on the pressure cooker and then literally just add everything else and stir it, cover it, and cook.
When I told Ben how I made this, he was super skeptical. I showed him the photos and he still wasn’t convinced. I told him it had a lot of meat in it and he still wasn’t jumping for joy.
He’s not a fan of sweet potatoes (exception: vanilla bean mashed sweet potatoes), and sometimes he’s not into grains beyond rice. Luckily for him, I make it all anyways and then we discover he loves things like vanilla bean sweet potatoes and Instant Pot farro stuffing. I bet he’s glad his wife is so stubborn, don’t you think?
Let’s back up just a touch and talk about the farro. If you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you’re likely familiar with farro thanks to recipes such as Farro Salad with Butternut Squash, Bacon, and Kale, Zucchini Noodle Mason Jar Salad with Farro and Mozzarella and Farro Salad with Za’atar, Broccoli and Feta.
If you’re unfamiliar with farro, here’s a few things you need to know:
- Farro is a type of wheat – so nope, farro is not gluten-free.
- Farro is hearty and chewy and maintains its shape (unless you cook it to death) – making it great for salads!
- Farro has a rich, nutty flavor.
It’s one of my favorite grains and if you haven’t tried it, I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. I’ve partnered with Bob’s Red Mill for this post, but that is the brand of farro I buy regardless.
Whether you use this as a replacement for traditional stuffing or if it’s a weeknight meal, I really hope you guys love it as much as we do!
We are a nut-free household but this would be great with some toasted walnuts as a garnish.
More Instant Pot recipes
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup ; creamy & easy to make!
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Broccoli — you’ll love this one and it’s a one pan meal.
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup — easy and adaptable!
- Instant Pot Short Ribs & Mashed Potatoes (at the same time!)
- Instant Pot Risotto Recipe
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Instant Pot Black Bean Soup (no need to soak beans!)
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast (from frozen!)
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
Great any day as a complete meal, or as a Thanksgiving side, this Instant Pot Farro Stuffing with Sausage and Sweet Potatoes is flavorful, warm and filling.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 16 ounces turkey sausage
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into 3/4-inch chunks (2-3 cups)
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, chopped (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups water
- Fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat Instant Pot to Saute and add oil. When oil is shimmering, add sausage and onion and cook, breaking up sausage as it browns.
- When sausage is browned, add farro, sweet potato, apple, cranberries, sage, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Pour water in and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Place cover on Instant Pot and turn valve to seal. Use the manual setting and set Instant Pot to high for 10 minutes. When it is done cooking, let it naturally release (aka leave it alone) for 10 minutes. When 10 minutes has elapsed, quick release the pressure. Stir gently and serve immediately garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
For added crunch and flavor, try adding a sprinkle of toasted pecans or walnuts after it has cooked!
Pick a tart apple such as a Granny Smith. Peel if desired.
If you don't use a lean sausage, you may want to drain grease before adding the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot. Do so very carefully!
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1of 6, Calories: 375kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 604mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 18g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Tasha says
I just made this and it was so good for a rainy gross night! I added red pepper flakes just bc I love when meals have a little kick. My only small issue was that it came out a little watery. I tried sautéing it but I’m not sure if it helped. Do you have any tips for next time? I didn’t want to use less water and risk a burn message. Thanks for the recipe! Looking forward to making some more modifications and perfecting this!
Rachel Gurk says
Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment! I’m not sure about the water issue…I haven’t had that problem! Did it thicken as it stood a little bit?
Bonnie says
I’m going to try this for sure. I have farro in my cupboard and I love the idea of cooking it in the instant pot. Comfort food :)
Rachel Gurk says
You will love this one!
Katja - Kreavida says
It looks delicious! I need to translate thi recipe and cook it this week :) Thanks
Rachel Gurk says
So glad to hear that!