Cranberry Bean and Farro Soup
A hearty and humble soup that starts with a deliciously nourishing flavor base and is packed with protein and fiber from the cranberry beans and farro.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium carrot peeled and finely diced
- 2 medium celery stalks finely diced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups cooked cranberry beans with bean broth
- 1/2 cup farro
- 6 cups stock of choice use either chicken, vegetable, or beef stock
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs of fresh sage
- Optional: parmesan rind
- Garnish options: good quality extra virgin olive oil, chopped parsley leaves, squeeze of lemon
Instructions
- Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a 4 quart dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.
- Add the carrot, onion, and celery. Season vegetables with a pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cook vegetables, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and stir for a minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste and stir to coat all vegetables in the paste. Add the stock and farro and stir together.
- Using a bit of cheesecloth and twine, bundle the fresh herbs together and tie to keep them together. Place the bundled herbs in the pot with the stock to infuse the soup with the herbs. Cook soup until farro becomes tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add in the beans with their broth to warm them in the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning with more kosher salt and pepper as desired. If using a parmesan rind, this is a good time to add it.
- Discard the parmesan rind (if used) and the herb bundle once soup is cooked. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish as desired with any mix of an olive oil drizzle, crispy herbs, croutons, grated parmesan, a squeeze of lemon, and/or chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
Substitutes for cranberry beans: pinto beans or borlotti work well here.