Fine Cooking Magazine - November/December 2020

Servings: six as a main dish; eight as a first course.

The farro can get soft if it sits in the soup overnight, so I cook it separately and add it only to the amount of soup I’m serving.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 cup chopped pancetta
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium ribs celery, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chopped fresh sage, marjoram, or thyme, or a combination
1-1/4 cups dried chickpeas or cannellini beans (or a combination), picked over, soaked overnight, and drained (or 3-1/2 cups canned chickpeas, cannellini beans, or a combination)
1-1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes
8 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth or water
2 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1-1/4 cups uncooked whole-grain farro
Extra-virgin olive oil for garnish
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish

Nutritional Sample Size based on eight servings
Calories (kcal) : 330
Fat Calories (kcal): 110
Fat (g): 12
Saturated Fat (g): 2
Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2
Monounsaturated Fat (g): 7
Cholesterol (mg): 10
Sodium (mg): 820
Carbohydrates (g): 43
Fiber (g): 7
Protein (g): 16

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot set over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs and sauté until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
If using dried beans, add the soaked, drained beans to the soup pot, with the tomatoes, broth or water, and 2 tsp. salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, 1 to 2 hours. (If using canned beans, drain and rinse them, add the tomatoes, broth or water, and 2 tsp. salt to the soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the beans, and simmer for about 20 minutes.) Season with salt and pepper. For a creamier soup, purée 1 cup of the bean mixture and stir it back into the pot.
While the soup simmers, bring 6 cups salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the farro, reduce the heat, and simmer until it’s just al dente and chewy, about 10 to 30 minutes. Drain, add it to the soup, and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes to let the flavors meld and to finish cooking. Stir to prevent scorching. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a swirl of olive oil, grated cheese, and pepper.

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Reviews (7 reviews)

CeMac | 02/16/2018
This was great. I made it as a quick meal using canned beans and instant faro from Trader Joe’s. I added red pepper flakes as suggested by other reviewers, threw in some fresh spinach at the end, and grated Romano cheese to serve.
grlup | 03/13/2014
This is good but it needs something. The second time I made it I added some red pepper flakes and cooked it with a Parmesan rind trying to deepen the flavor. I'll try again because it is a good hearty soup and the texture is good. But it just needs something else to make it great, not just good. As noted, I kept the farro separate since there were leftovers. Worked like a charm!
desertbaker | 08/24/2012
This soup is a good, but not great. It is very hearty and has a nice texture, but my family found it a little bland. I think next time I make it I might stick a ham hock in with the beans to give it a little more flavor, and possibly about 1/2 teaspoon or so of crushed red pepper flakes.
VegetarianFoodie | 06/03/2012
Excellent soup. Leftovers are even better so it worked well to kep the farro separate.

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What We're Cooking Now

Name: Rustic Bean & Farro Soup
Yield: six as a main dish; eight as a first course. servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 Tbs. olive oil; 3/4 cup chopped pancetta; 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped; 2 medium ribs celery, chopped; 4 large cloves garlic, minced; 2 tsp. chopped fresh sage, marjoram, or thyme, or a combination; 1-1/4 cups dried chickpeas or cannellini beans (or a combination), picked over, soaked overnight, and drained (or 3-1/2 cups canned chickpeas, cannellini beans, or a combination); 1-1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes; 8 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth or water; 2 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste; Freshly ground black pepper; 1-1/4 cups uncooked whole-grain farro; Extra-virgin olive oil for garnish; Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish