This dish is easy, inexpensive to make, and incredibly good--so good that I plan to incorporate it into our regular meal rotation and keep it in mind for a day before Thanksgiving option (when guests may be visiting and need to be fed something that's a make-ahead dish). The dish is not only "comfort in a pan," it's loaded with nutrition and is great if you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy." The dish isn't quick to do, but you can make the farro--which is a whole grain that is full of protein, fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants--ahead of time, if you'd like. Although some versions of farro take about 30 minutes to cook, others (like the one from Trader Joe's) take only about 10 minutes. I'd go for the 30-minute version if possible (sometimes it's hard to find, except on Amazon), because, usually, it's more "whole-grain" as well as being tastier. You'll also need to cook the onions for about that long to caramelize them, which will give them great flavor. A little fresh spinach gives the meal extra taste and nutrition as well as a pop of color. Swiss/Gruyere cheese adds a nutty flavor and even more protein to the dish. You can serve the meal straight from the skillet, but I prefer to make it ahead of time, put it in a pan, refrigerate it, and bake or air fry it later. The dish will serve up much like lasagna in relatively neat pieces (as long as you let it stand a bit first). You won't need to serve much with the dish. A salad and/or fruit would be plenty. Enjoy!
Ground Turkey, Caramelized Onion, and Farro Skillet Meal or Bake -- Serves 4+
1/2 cup of farro, rinsed well and cooked according to the directions on the package --
you'll need about 1 1/2 cups of cooked farro
2-3 teaspoons of canola or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
8-10 ounces of lean ground turkey (90 or 93 percent)
1/2 teaspoon of salt, divided, plus extra, to taste
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
2/3 cup of water
1 teaspoon of reduced sodium chicken base (I use "Better Than Bullion")
1/2 cup of light sour cream
3 cups of fresh spinach leaves, washed well and drained
1 - 1 1/2 cups of Swiss/Gruyere cheese, divided
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add the onion to the pan and saute it for a few minutes. Sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon of salt and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook the onions for about 20 minutes, stirring then frequently, until the onions are a very pale, golden color. You can add a little water (2-4 tablespoons) midway through to help them cook better and a bit quicker. Increase the heat back to medium. Add the ground turkey and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the onions and saute the mixture for about 10 minutes or until the turkey is cooked through. Sprinkle on the pepper, thyme, and garlic power and mix them into the onions/turkey. Add the cooked farro to the pan as well as the water. Stir in the chicken base. Let the mixture cook for about five minutes to blend the flavors. Turn off the heat, and stir in the spinach until it wilts into the turkey/farro mixture. Stir in the sour cream and half of the cheese until well combined. You can sprinkle on the remainder of the cheese, let it melt, and then serve the dish directly from the skillet. Alternatively, you can bake the mixture in the oven or air fryer. To do so, spritz an 8-inch square pan well with non-stick cooking spray and pour the mixture into the pan, smoothing the mixture out evenly. You can bake the dish immediately or let it cool, refrigerate it, and bake or air fry it later.
Oven: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake the mixture for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and light brown. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese, return the pan to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese, and then remove the pan from the oven and let the bake cool for about 10 minutes before serving it.
Air Fryer: Air fry to mixture at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and light brown. Sprinkle on the remainder of the cheese and air fry the mixture for another few minutes to melt the cheese, or, if your air fryer has a broil function, you can broil the dish for a couple of minutes at 400 degrees. Remove the pan from the air fryer and let the bake cool for about 10 minutes before serving it.
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