Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans, a hearty, healthy comforting winter recipe that is guaranteed to warm your heart. Lovely kale combined with cannellini beans in a wonderful vegetable both, with hints of tomato, garlic, and some spice. Straight from the region of Tuscany, Italy, to your kitchen.
Song of the day: "Due Vite" by Marco Mengoni
[This post is sponsored by Ontario Bean Growers. We’ve been compensated but -as always- all opinions are our own.]
Memories of winter and growing up
My parents loved gardening and their garden was always plentiful, and gave us tons of vegetables for the winter season. My father loved his soups, especially one like this Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans. I can still see the fulfillment in his eyes as he would taste the soup. Furthermore, he was not the only one feeling that comfort, we all did also, nothing like a foodie hug for sure. Talk about pure soul food, and a beautiful memory of my childhood.
Why you would want to make this Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans
During the winter months it is always nice to make these heartwarming dishes. They make you feel loved, cared for. However, there are many other reasons why this soup is great:
- Easy to make, takes little time
- Very economical for feeding a family
- It is super healthy
- Uses seasonal ingredients
- Very tasty
Here are the ingredients for this wonderful Italian soup
Really the ingredients list is not that extensive, here is your shopping list:
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Evo oil
- Red chili flakes
- Cannellini beans
- Tuscan kale
- Tomato passata
- Farro
- Salt and pepper
Kitchen equipment for this Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans
This recipe is one of those one pot wonders, not a lot needed for equipment to put this together. Here is what you will need:
- Cast iron large soup pot or any soup pot you may have
- Ramekins and small bowls to put ingredients in
- Food processor
- A good chopping knife
- Wooden spoon
- Vegetable strainer for washing and prepping the kale.
- Tasting spoon
- Vegetable peeler
Prepping makes the work so much easier
I am one of those organized cooks. I like to have all my ingredients ready so when it is time to cook, I can put all my attention and love into making this lovely Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans. Not to say that I don't put love into the prep, I absolutely do. It is a very important ingredient. This is my way of prepping:
- First of all I peel and wash all the veggies.
- As far as the kale, remove the stems and any spoiled areas on the kale. I place it into a salad strainer, wash it really well, and let it drain. You can spin it in the salad spinner too.
- Then, I roughly chop the kale, and place it into a bowl.
- Next, I chop up the carrot, onion, and celery, then place it into a food processor and blitz it until it is finely minced.
- Lastly, I open the can of cannellini, pour them into a colander, and give them a good rinse with cold water and let them drain.
Hear is how easy it is to make Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans
In less than an hour you will be sitting down to a lovely healthy, hearty meal. This is how it is done:
- Firstly, drizzle olive oil into your soup pot. Add in the garlic and chili flakes, add give it a swish.
- Secondly, add in the mirepoix that you blitzed in the food processor. Turn heat to a medium setting and season with salt and pepper. Stir, and let that sauté for 2 minutes.
- Thirdly, add farro, kale, and after the tomato passata. Give it a good stir.
- Finally, pour in the vegetable broth, stir, cover, and let simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
Time for the cannellini beans
This is the last step of this wonderful Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans:
- Uncover the soup then toss in the beans that have bean washed and drained. Stir gently into the soup, then cover again, keeping heat on low, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning, and adjust as needed with salt and pepper.
Time to serve up our Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans
Looking at this wonderful soup makes me think my father is looking over my shoulder and saying Bravo! Almost brings a tear to my eye, however, can't have that going into the soup. Instead, a nice smile. Let's finish this dish:
- Ladle soup into bowls, finish with a drizzle of extra virgin cold pressed olive oil.
- Garnish with some freshly chopped flat leaf parsley.
- Ready to serve.
Time to taste
Well, I am pretty proud of this soup we made together. It looks so hearty, and healthy. I love the deep winter colors, and that broth slightly tinted with the tomato passata. Grab your spoon, let's have a taste.
Mmmmmmm, so so good. The broth subtle, yet rich with the sweetness of the tomato mingling nicely with the veggies and broth. I love the farro, nutty, holding a nice texture giving us a nice bite. The kale is earthy, sweet, and so succulent, it just explodes in your mouth. Lastly, those cannellini beans have that soulfulness and sweetness, really adding another dimension to this incredible Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans. I am definitely feeling the love here, are you?
I just want to say thank you for stopping in and making this recipe with us. We truly enjoy cooking with everyone! Sit back, and really enjoy the work you have done. Let that soup just warm your soul.
Buon Appetito!
Enjoy!
PrintTraditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans
Traditional Zuppa Toscana with farro and beans, a hearty, healthy comforting winter recipe that is guaranteed to warm your heart. Lovely kale combined with cannellini beans and farro, in a wonderful vegetable both, with hints of tomato, garlic and some spice. Straight from the region of Tuscany, Italy, to your kitchen.
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: serves 4 people 1x
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 1 small can Cannellini beans
- 230 g washed trimmed Tuscan kale
- ¼ cup farro
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- pinch of red chili flakes
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place chopped carrots, onions, diced celery into a food processor. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped.
- In a cast pot or soup pot, drizzle in evo oil, sprinkle in chili flakes, and toss in garlic. Swish garlic and chili flakes in the oil. Throw in mirepoix from food processor, turn heat to medium, and let that mixture sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Toss in farro, kale, and lastly the tomato passata, and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Time to pour in the broth and give it another stir. Cover, lower heat, and let cook for 20 minutes.
- Pour cannellini beans into a strainer and wash thoroughly. Take lid off pot and throw beans in. Give it a stir and cover. Let simmer on low for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn off heat, ladle into bowls, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and finish with a drizzle of evo oil.
- Ready to serve!
Enjoy!
Notes
If using dried cannellini beans, soak over night submerged in water. Rinse, then cook in boiling water for 30-40 minutes. Beans should have an al dente texture. Then add them to the soup and cook for 15 minutes in the soup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: soup
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: zuppa Toscana, Tuscan soup, Tuscan kale, cannellini beans, red chili flakes, Italian cuisine, Italian comfort food, Vegetable broth, hearty soup,
When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.
Nancy says
This is one of my favorite soups and I'm so happy with your recipe because now I can make it at home anytime I want. Thank you!
★★★★★
Your so welcome, it is our pleasure and gratitude to share these wonderful classics! Thank you!
Kristina says
I love this soup for using up lots of farro (I make it in big batches and freeze it for later). I toss the farro in toward the end and the result is great- very flavorful over all!
★★★★★
Hi Kristina, so great that you make it in batches and freeze it for later. A great way to have delicious meals on hand when time is a factor.
Well done!
Isabelle says
This recipe turned out with a ton of flavor and tasted fresh and healthy. I love garlic so i doubled up on that, but it needs no other changes to turn out perfect.
★★★★★
Well done Isabelle, always nice to add an extra personal touch. So happy you decided to try it. Such a healthy, flavorful, hearty soup!
Happy cooking!
Amy Casey says
This was such a delicious soup. I really loved the farro in it. Such a nice nutty and chewy addition.
★★★★★
Thank you Amy for trying this rustic Italian soup.We agree that farro is perfect to add some texture to an already scrumptious soup!
Cheers!
Jamie says
Wow! This dish looks absolutely delicious and very yummy! A perfect dish for such cold weather on my end! I'll definitely make this for my family! Thanks for sharing this with us!
★★★★★
You're so welcome, love sharing these soulful recipes. So full of memories, and so healthy for you and your family.
Enjoy!
Cheers!
Enriqueta E Lemoine says
This is the best zuppa Toscana I-ve ever had! Delicious, flavorful, hearty! Love it! Love it! Love it! and I can-t wait to make it again! Thanks for this superb recipe.
★★★★★
You put a huge smile on our faces. Could just feel the foodie love! So happy you enjoyed it. Always made with love and gratitude!
Happing cooking Enriqueta E Lemoine!
Tristin says
I felt the foodie hug in this soup for sure!! It was warm and nourishing, perfect for a cold winter night!!
★★★★★
Hi Tristin, a lovely way to describe the experience of the soul. I felt it too! Perfect for the chilly weather of winter, nnice to be curled up on the couch hugging a bowl of this soup and watching a good romance movie!
Have a wonderful cooking week!
Debbie says
This Zuppa Tosacana soup is so warm and comforting . It is full of flavor and my whole family loved it. My son that claims he doesn't like kale even like this soup. This is something I will make over and over.
★★★★★
That is a huge compliment when a child who doesn't like an ingredient loves it in this way. Thank you! We love our beans and kale and this is a great way to utilize these ingredients in a most flavorful way!
Thanks for trying it, we are very grateful!
Cheers!
Jenny says
A bean soup is my kind of comfort food. I love your recipe for a traditional zuppa toscana. Using farro is genius. It looks great and tastes amazing. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Hi Jenny, you are so very welcome. So happy you enjoyed it. A great soup and yes farro is a great addition to add a beautiful texture to the mix!
Happy cooking jenny!
Liz says
This was so cozy and filling! I loved the farro in it. Definitely going to make it again!
★★★★★
Hi Liz, we always are so grateful when the recipes are tried. Even happier to know that you enjoyed it a lot. Great healthy flavorful, substantial choice for the winter season. We love making this soup
Have a wonderful day!