Tuscan farro soup
Farro, or emmer wheat, is one of Europe's oldest grains and a staple of Tuscan peasant cooking. The grains cooked with borlotti beans, carrot, celery and tomato make a soup so thick the spoon almost stands up — Tuscans call it a “zuppa”, though it is closer to a thick one-pot supper. Farro keeps its bite and slightly nutty taste even after long cooking, so the soup never turns to mush. It is entirely plant-based, cheap and filling; a piece of Parmesan rind in the pot is optional but makes a difference.
Your own work in that: 5 min.
- Preparation 15 min
- Frying the vegetables 15 min
- Simmering 40 min
- Serving 5 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneRinse the farro
Rinse the farro in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear. If yours is whole-grain farro (decorticato), soak it for 8 hours first, or expect the simmering to take 50–60 minutes instead of 40.
Ingredients: 200 g farro (emmer) or pearled spelt · 240 g canned borlotti or white beans · 4 tbsp olive oil · 1 pcs onion · 1 pcs carrot · 2 pcs celery sticks · 2 cloves garlic · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 200 g canned tomatoes · 1 pcs rosemary sprig · 1 pcs bay leaf · 1200 ml water or vegetable stock · 1½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Rinsing washes off starch and dust.Chop the vegetables
Cut the onion, carrot and celery into small dice and chop the garlic.
Ingredients: 200 g farro (emmer) or pearled spelt · 240 g canned borlotti or white beans · 4 tbsp olive oil · 1 pcs onion · 1 pcs carrot · 2 pcs celery sticks · 2 cloves garlic · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 200 g canned tomatoes · 1 pcs rosemary sprig · 1 pcs bay leaf · 1200 ml water or vegetable stock · 1½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Fry the vegetables
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot of about 4 litres and fry the vegetables over medium heat for 10 minutes, until soft and sweet-smelling.
Ingredients: 200 g farro (emmer) or pearled spelt · 240 g canned borlotti or white beans · 4 tbsp olive oil · 1 pcs onion · 1 pcs carrot · 2 pcs celery sticks · 2 cloves garlic · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 200 g canned tomatoes · 1 pcs rosemary sprig · 1 pcs bay leaf · 1200 ml water or vegetable stock · 1½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Small dice — the Italian soffritto.Add garlic and purée
Add the garlic and tomato purée and fry 2 minutes, stirring, until the purée darkens.
Ingredients: 200 g farro (emmer) or pearled spelt · 240 g canned borlotti or white beans · 4 tbsp olive oil · 1 pcs onion · 1 pcs carrot · 2 pcs celery sticks · 2 cloves garlic · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 200 g canned tomatoes · 1 pcs rosemary sprig · 1 pcs bay leaf · 1200 ml water or vegetable stock · 1½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Add the liquid
Add the farro, canned tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and water. Bring to the boil.
Ingredients: 200 g farro (emmer) or pearled spelt · 240 g canned borlotti or white beans · 4 tbsp olive oil · 1 pcs onion · 1 pcs carrot · 2 pcs celery sticks · 2 cloves garlic · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 200 g canned tomatoes · 1 pcs rosemary sprig · 1 pcs bay leaf · 1200 ml water or vegetable stock · 1½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Simmer
Simmer with the lid ajar over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the grains are tender but still springy.
Ingredients: 200 g farro (emmer) or pearled spelt · 240 g canned borlotti or white beans · 4 tbsp olive oil · 1 pcs onion · 1 pcs carrot · 2 pcs celery sticks · 2 cloves garlic · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 200 g canned tomatoes · 1 pcs rosemary sprig · 1 pcs bay leaf · 1200 ml water or vegetable stock · 1½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Add the beans
Add the drained beans and cook 10 minutes more. If the soup is too thick, add boiling water — it should be thick but not stodgy.
Ingredients: 200 g farro (emmer) or pearled spelt · 240 g canned borlotti or white beans · 4 tbsp olive oil · 1 pcs onion · 1 pcs carrot · 2 pcs celery sticks · 2 cloves garlic · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 200 g canned tomatoes · 1 pcs rosemary sprig · 1 pcs bay leaf · 1200 ml water or vegetable stock · 1½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Thick but still a soup — loosen it if needed.Season and serve
Remove the rosemary and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and share the last tablespoon of olive oil between them.
Ingredients: 200 g farro (emmer) or pearled spelt · 240 g canned borlotti or white beans · 4 tbsp olive oil · 1 pcs onion · 1 pcs carrot · 2 pcs celery sticks · 2 cloves garlic · 2 tbsp tomato purée · 200 g canned tomatoes · 1 pcs rosemary sprig · 1 pcs bay leaf · 1200 ml water or vegetable stock · 1½ tsp salt · ½ tsp black pepper
Before you start
From dried beans
Instead of a can, use 100 g of dried beans soaked overnight and cooked separately until tender (about 60 minutes). Use their cooking water in place of some of the water in step 5 — it is full of flavour.
With Parmesan rind
Drop a piece of Parmesan rind into the pot with the water and remove it before serving. The soup is no longer vegan but gains depth.
Storage
It keeps 4 days in the fridge and thickens daily — add water when reheating. It freezes well for 3 months.
