Looking for a warm, comforting, easy-to-prepare soup made with pantry staples and veggies already on-hand? Then, this is the soup for you!
"Zuppa Toscana" or "Tuscan soup" is a classic Italian soup typically made with kale, cannellini beans, celery, carrots, onion, sausage as well as additional veggies (potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes) and Tuscan bread. This vegetarian version uses the whole grain farro and allows for veggie substitutions depending on what you have on-hand! The sky is the limit -- ENJOY!
SERVINGS: 4-6 SERVINGS (1 CUP EACH)
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling (if desired)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 medium-size carrots, sliced
1 medium celery stalk, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 Bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
5 cups vegetable stock (unsalted or low-sodium, optional)
3/4 cups uncooked farro
1 1/2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained & rinsed (unsalted or low-sodium, optional)
3 cups kale (curly or tuscan) or spinach, chopped
Directions:
1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic and salt, pepper. Sauté over medium heat until vegetables soften.
3. Add the bay leaf, oregano, vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
4. Add the farro and cannellini beans, bring back to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low to a simmer.
5. Cover and simmer the soup 20-25 minutes or until the farro is tender.
6. Add the chopped kale or spinach and stir. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow the kale to soften and flavors to blend.
7. Serve hot, drizzled with a little olive oil and a slice of crunchy bread, if desired. Enjoy!
Soup Tips:
- The vegetables in this soup can be substituted for others you have on hand. Vegetables such as potatoes, zucchini, cooking greens, tomatoes, and even canned tomatoes may work well for this soup! If using cooking greens, add them in place of or when adding the kale/spinach as these cook more quickly than the other vegetables.
- If freezing for storage, ladle into a freezer-safe container and let it cool before putting it in the freezer. Label with the date soup was frozen and date to remove from freezer (2-3 months out). When ready to eat, thaw and reheat on the stove.
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