Farro Minestrone
Farro, an ancient cousin of the wheat berry, is a toothsome and lovable grain. It cooks quickly and always remains pleasantly chewy. Most farro available here is imported from Italy, so the grain feels right at home in a minestrone.
NotesSpeed Tip: Use semi-pearled farro—the kind most commonly imported from Italy—which cooks in about half the time of farro with all of its bran intact.
Other Ideas:
• Shortly before serving, stir in 1 bunch chopped arugula or a 6 ounce bag baby spinach.
• Substitute quick-cooking barley for the farro. Cook for only 2 minutes before adding the tomatoes.
• Use chickpeas instead of cannellini.
• Instead of or in addition to the zucchini, add a 10 ounce package frozen string beans or 1 cup frozen peas.
Serves4
CostInexpensive
Total Timeunder 1 hour
One Pot MealYes
OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get-together
Recipe Coursemain course
Dietary Considerationegg-free, gluten-free, halal, kosher, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free
Mealdinner, lunch
Moodblue, tired
Taste and Textureherby, light, nutty, savory
Type of Dishsoup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning blend
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup semi-pearled farro (see Notes)
- 1 can (28 ounces) peeled tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted, with liquid
- 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½-inch slices
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup grated Romano cheese, plus more to pass at the table
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 to 3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
Instructions
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In a heavy 6 quart soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Italian seasoning and garlic and cook for 20 seconds.
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Stir in the broth and the farro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat slightly, and cook for 10 minutes.
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Add the tomatoes and squash them against the side of the pot with a large spoon. Stir in the cannellini and zucchini. Cover and cook over medium heat until the farro and zucchini are tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
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Stir in the parsley, cheese, remaining tablespoon of oil, and salt and pepper to taste. If needed, balance the flavors with a bit of balsamic and sugar.
2009 Lorna Sass
