Italian Bean and Farro Soup
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Judith Barrett, Eating Well
This soup was a big hit at the Whole Grains Council's 2011 conference in Portland, Oregon. The creative chef there cooked everything together, then separated the broth from the vegetables, beans and farro. We had the fun of adding hot broth to our cup o' goodies – a great alternative to having lukewarm soup with mushy contents.
ingredients
1 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tsps finely chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes (not drained)
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup farro or barley
1 can (14-19 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
1. Heat oil in a 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, parsley, basil and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion and carrot begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add farro (or barley) and beans. Season with pepper.
2. When the soup returns to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the grain is tender, 30 to 35 minutes for farro or 40 to 45 minutes for barley. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.
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makes: 4-6 servings
