Farro & Masala Meatball Bowl

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Because who doesn't love a complete meal in a bowl? Especially one that is easy, healthy, and comes together in less than 30 minutes.

When we tried this recipe for a Farro & Masala Meatball Bowl from Beyond Curry, we knew we had to share it with you all! It’s packed full of flavor and is also very customizable. Feel free to switch up the protein or veggies to make this dish your own!

Bowls are becoming a go-to favorite in our homes at WOT. To be honest with you, this one here started as an experiment but we are pleased with how well the farro took on the Indian flavors paired with it. We present to you the Farro & Masala Meatball Bowl with sweet potatoes and any other fix-ins you like.

There are three main components to this dish- first, the farro is soaked for 30 minutes and then pressure-cooked with some cumin seeds, ghee, and asafetida. The nuttiness and crunch in the farro make a great substitute for brown rice and quinoa. In addition, this grain is rich in fiber, high in protein, and low in calories too!

Next up are the meatballs. These have to be the easiest ones we have made and healthy except for a tsp. of indulgence, which you will find out about in the recipe shortly.

And lastly, the sweet potatoes. We used 2 large sweet potatoes, roasted them in the oven at 425 F, and added a few spices with a generous drizzle of lemon juice at the end. You can eat this by itself or add a salad or bowl of choice. It’s so good!

The entire bowl comes together in 30 minutes, excluding the soaking time for the farro. In our experience, the meatballs when made with turkey, stay moist and juicy when made in a cast iron pan. You can also deglaze all the juices in the pan to keep them soft and delicious. If you have a recipe for keeping them moist when baking in the oven, do share!

Farro and Masala Meatball Bowl

Servings

Author Beyond Curry

Ingredients

Farro

1 cup farro soaked for 30 minutes
1 tsp. ghee, (clarified butter)
1 tsp. cumin seeds, (sabut jeera)
1/2 tsp. asafetida, (hing)
2 cups water

Sweet Potato

2 sweet potatoes large cut into 2" cubes
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper powder
2 tsp. coriander powder, (dhania powder)
1 tsp. red chilli powder,(kashmiri mirch)
2 tsp. dry mango powder, (amchur optional)

Turkey Meatballs

16 oz. minced turkey
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. white vinegar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. turmeric, (haldi)
3 tbsp. cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tsp. fine semolina, (rava)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup shredded cheese, we used mozzarella optional
2 tbsp. lemon juice

To Serve

cherry tomatoes
scallions, chopped
avocado slices
toasted sesame or garlic

Instructions

Farro

In a pressure cooker or heavy-bottomed pan, heat the ghee and add cumin seeds.
Once the seeds splutter, add the asafetida and drained farro. Mix well and cook on medium-low for 3 minutes.
Next, add the salt and water and pressure cook on medium-high for 2 whistles. If using a heavy-bottomed pan, bring to a boil and cook covered for 15 -20 minutes. Stir and check for the farro to be cooked and that most of the water is absorbed.

Turkey Meatballs

Mix all the ingredients and set aside for 15 minutes.
Heat a heavy-bottomed pan/ cast iron pan and add the oil.
Make 12 balls placing a tsp. of shredded cheese in the center, and seal it in. We like to use mozzarella, but you can use whatever you have on hand or leave it out completely.

Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray a baking sheet with some cooking spray.
In a bowl, mix the spices with the oil and toss the sweet potatoes in it.
Spread on the sheet pan and bake in the oven for 15 -20 minutes on the center rack.
Place the meatballs in the hot pan and cook for 15- 20 minutes, turning them over halfway to get a nice crisp on both sides. Usually, we cook the meatballs to 170F internal temperature.
Once the meatballs are done, reduce the heat to low and add the lemon juice and some water to deglaze the pan. Mix it well and take off the heat.

To Assemble

Place the farro, meatballs, and sweet potatoes in a bowl. Add your choice of fix-ins and enjoy!

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Do try this recipe and have fun with your choice of protein, grain, and toppings. Would love to hear any comments, so please leave them below in the post. And as always, please tag @beyond.curry in your creations.