diff --git a/esphome/const.py b/esphome/const.py
index f07c83b32d..ce401b9f73 100644
--- a/esphome/const.py
+++ b/esphome/const.py
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ __version__ = "2021.10.1"
 
 ALLOWED_NAME_CHARS = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789-_"
 
-TARGET_PLATFORMS = ["esp32", "esp8266"]
+PLATFORM_ESP32 = "esp32"
+PLATFORM_ESP8266 = "esp8266"
+
+TARGET_PLATFORMS = [PLATFORM_ESP32, PLATFORM_ESP8266]
 TARGET_FRAMEWORKS = ["arduino", "esp-idf"]
 
 # See also https://github.com/platformio/platform-espressif8266/releases
diff --git a/esphome/core/config.py b/esphome/core/config.py
index 3c53d81784..235e0eeb84 100644
--- a/esphome/core/config.py
+++ b/esphome/core/config.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from esphome.const import (
     CONF_VERSION,
     KEY_CORE,
     TARGET_PLATFORMS,
+    PLATFORM_ESP8266,
 )
 from esphome.core import CORE, coroutine_with_priority
 from esphome.helpers import copy_file_if_changed, walk_files
@@ -182,9 +183,13 @@ def preload_core_config(config, result):
         if CONF_BOARD_FLASH_MODE in conf:
             plat_conf[CONF_BOARD_FLASH_MODE] = conf.pop(CONF_BOARD_FLASH_MODE)
         if CONF_ARDUINO_VERSION in conf:
-            plat_conf[CONF_FRAMEWORK] = {CONF_TYPE: "arduino"}
+            plat_conf[CONF_FRAMEWORK] = {}
+            if plat != PLATFORM_ESP8266:
+                plat_conf[CONF_FRAMEWORK][CONF_TYPE] = "arduino"
+
             try:
-                cv.Version.parse(conf[CONF_ARDUINO_VERSION])
+                if conf[CONF_ARDUINO_VERSION] not in ("recommended", "latest", "dev"):
+                    cv.Version.parse(conf[CONF_ARDUINO_VERSION])
                 plat_conf[CONF_FRAMEWORK][CONF_VERSION] = conf.pop(CONF_ARDUINO_VERSION)
             except ValueError:
                 plat_conf[CONF_FRAMEWORK][CONF_SOURCE] = conf.pop(CONF_ARDUINO_VERSION)