Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics (Soffritto)
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 100 g carrot, finely diced
- 100 g celery, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1 fresh rosemary, whole sprig
- 3 fresh sage, whole leaves
Base and Body
- 200 g farro, semi-pearled, rinsed
- 480 g cannellini beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 400 g crushed tomatoes, canned
- 1200 ml vegetable broth, low sodium
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Finishing
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, high quality
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 385 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1097 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1120 mg
- Calcium
- 106 mg
- Iron
- 4.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 48 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 186 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 14 mcg
- Water
- 250 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the soffritto by finely dicing the yellow onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic cloves.
Heat the cooking olive oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft and deeply fragrant, about 10 minutes.
Add the drained cannellini beans to the pot. Using the back of your wooden spoon, firmly crush about half of the beans against the side or bottom of the pot. This technique releases starches that will naturally thicken the soup.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add the rinsed farro, the whole rosemary sprig, sage leaves, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring the liquid to a gentle, rolling boil.
Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot with a lid, and let the soup simmer steadily. Cook until the farro is completely tender but still retains a pleasant, chewy bite, about 40 to 45 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully locate and discard the woody rosemary stem and sage leaves. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into warm bowls and finish each serving with a generous drizzle of the high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
Chef's Notes
- For the most authentic texture, use semi-pearled (semi-perlato) farro. It cooks relatively quickly while retaining its characteristic bite and nutritional integrity better than fully pearled versions.
- Partially mashing a portion of the cannellini beans before adding the liquid provides a naturally creamy, emulsified body to the broth without needing any dairy or starch slurries.
- The final drizzle of raw, high-quality extra virgin olive oil is known as 'a crudo'. This is non-negotiable in authentic Tuscan cooking, as the raw oil adds a peppery freshness that completely transforms the finished bowl.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container. The soup will thicken considerably as it chills.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add 50-100ml of water or vegetable broth to loosen the farro, which absorbs liquid as it sits.
Troubleshooting
Farro is still hard or overly chewy after 45 minutes
Cause: You may have used whole grain (unpearled) farro, or the farro is quite old, which requires a much longer cooking time.
Fix: Add an extra 250ml of water or broth and continue simmering for another 20 to 30 minutes until tender.
Prevention: Check package labels for semi-pearled (semi-perlato) or pearled (perlato) varieties for weeknight cooking.
Soup is too thick, resembling a stew rather than soup
Cause: The farro absorbed more liquid than expected, or too much water evaporated during an aggressive simmer.
Fix: Stir in hot vegetable broth or water, 100ml at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Adjust seasoning afterward.
Prevention: Maintain a gentle simmer and keep the pot partially covered to trap moisture.
Cultural Context
Originating in the province of Lucca in northern Tuscany, Zuppa di Farro is a cornerstone of cucina povera, the traditional peasant cooking of Italy. Farro is an ancient grain that has been cultivated in the region since the Roman Empire, historically providing vital, inexpensive sustenance to local farmers. Today, this deeply savory, nourishing soup remains a proud daily staple in Lucchese trattorias and homes alike.
