Farro and Bean Soup

By Martha Rose Shulman

Published December 22, 2015

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 2 hours, plus soaking of the beans and farro
Rating
5(1,455)
Comments
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This is a thick, hearty Tuscan-inspired potage with farro and beans. Red, kidney, pinto or borlotti beans (or a blend) most resemble the beans used in Tuscany. The farro and beans are soaked together, then cooked with aromatics, tomatoes and pancetta. The pancetta can be left out for a perfectly delicious vegetarian version.

Featured in: Tuscan Beans and Farro in a Hearty Soup

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 1 ½ cups red beans, kidney beans, pintos or borlottis, rinsed and picked over for stones

  • ¾ cup farro, rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • ¼ cup diced pancetta (optional)

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced (more to taste)

  • 1 bouquet garni with a few sprigs each of parsley and thyme, a bay leaf and a Parmesan rind

  • 1 small carrot, peeled and diced

  • 1 small stalk celery, diced

  • 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, cleaned and sliced thin

  • Salt

  • 6 sage leaves, chopped, plus more for serving

  • 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

  • Freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

56 grams carbs; 4 milligrams cholesterol; 345 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 8 grams fat; 17 grams fiber; 509 milligrams sodium; 17 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine beans and farro in a bowl and cover with 1 ½ quarts water. Soak for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.

  2. Step 2

    Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or casserole over medium heat and add half the pancetta, if using, and half the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and stir in half the garlic. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  3. Step 3

    Add beans and farro, along with the soaking water. Add another 1 ½ quarts water and bouquet garni and bring to a gentle boil. Skim foam, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a heavy skillet and add pancetta. (If not using pancetta, add the remaining onion and the carrot, celery and leeks now.) Cook, stirring often, until pancetta releases some of its fat. Add the remaining onion, and carrot, celery and leeks. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Stir in the remaining garlic and the sage. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, add the tomatoes and juice, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly and the mixture is very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir into the beans and farro and mix well.

  6. Step 6

    Add the tomato paste and salt to taste. (You will need a generous amount.) Continue to simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until beans and farro are very tender and the soup thick, almost creamy. Add pepper, taste and adjust salt. Remove bouquet garni.

  7. Step 7

    Stir in the parsley and additional chopped sage if desired. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan over each bowl.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,455 user ratings
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Comments

Spudnut

We've made it twice now and will make it again soon. Almost as thick as a chili -- very satisfying.

I've been adding some smoky sweet paprika and 2 tablespoons of miso, which add a lot of depth.

M

How about a parmesan rind instead of the pancetta for a vegetarian version?

Sandy R.

This was excellent. I made it in a slow cooker. Substituted turkey bacon for pancetta. Sautéed bacon first, and then onion, garlic, celery carrots, and leeks before adding to the slow cooker with beans, farro, and water. Vooked on high for two hours and then low for 4 hours. Wonderful dish. Healthy and inexpensive to make.

AJ

I tripled the fresh sage and garlic and added some chicken fennel sausage to this recipe and did not regret it!

SEB

I’ve made this twice. I add the tomato paste to the sautéed veggies and cook it until it darkens before adding the canned tomatoes.

K & Smooth

Excellent soup! Few twists 1. Instead of soaking Farro overnight/4hr, bring a quarter of water to boil, add 1 tsp salt, then add a cup of farro and bring to boil uncovered for about 30 minutes then drain and set aside 2. Using the protein (meat of your choice). We steamed wild caught fresh shrimps and Salted mushrooms Great NYE soup… with a couple of glasses of wine!!! 😋

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