Farro Soup (With Sweet Potatoes!)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This hearty and nutritious one-pot Farro Soup is loaded up with tons of veggies, a rich seasoned broth, and plenty of farro. It’s incredibly delicious and you’ll feel great eating it! Top your bowl with some fresh herbs and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese– and then grab some crusty bread for dunking!

If you’ve tried my favorite Farro Salad, you likely need no convincing how delicious this grain is. But if you haven’t, I’m aiming to convince you today that it needs a permanent spot in your pantry!

Overhead image of Farro Soup

Graphic for "Favorite Soup Recipes" series

Try out this Farro Soup Recipe, which is part of our collection of favorite soup recipes. Click here to see all the recipes in the collection.

Delicious Farro Soup!

If you take a quick glance at the ingredient list you’ll notice just how nutritious the ingredients in this soup are–it’s basically all veggies, broth, and farro.

But it’s in the marriage of these ingredients that the magic happens–there is an unbelievable amount of flavor in this soup! My favorite type of healthful recipes are the ones that you wouldn’t even think are healthy because they’re just that delicious!

Process shots-- images of the farro used in this recipe

Can Farro Be Used In Soup?

Absolutely! And making soup with farro is a great way to add a filling, protein-packed element to your meal.

Farro isn’t always easy to find in grocery stores, but it is well worth the time taken to source it (especially with how easy online ordering is these days!). 

Farro is a whole grain, and very similar to brown rice. It has a wonderful chewy-yet-tender texture with a slightly nuttier flavor. Farro originates from the Tuscan region of Italy; it is extremely filling, rich in protein and high in fiber.

QUICK TIP

We love this brand and this brand of Farro. The important thing to note is you want to grab pearled farro which means the bran layer has been removed and it’ll need less cooking time than whole farro. Whole farro still has the bran intact and takes a lot longer to cook. It will also absorb too much liquid in this recipe.

Process shots of Farro Soup-- images of all the veggies going into a pot and then the garlic, seasoning, and farro

What Do You Serve With Farro?

Our favorite accompaniments to this grain are loads of veggies and a heartily-seasoned broth

We’ve got onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes making up the bulk of veggies in this soup.

For the broth base, we love using a good quality vegetable stock (like Swanson®) which keeps this soup vegan/vegetarian. If you aren’t concerned with making this farro soup vegetarian/vegan, chicken stock/broth works great here too.

Process shots-- images of the bay leaves, vegetable broth, and parsley being added

VARIATIONS

  • Swap out veggies: Try some other veggies like butternut squash, Yukon gold potatoes, or more of one of the veggies in the recipe.
  • Add in a can of drained and rinsed white cannellini beans.
  • Make Beef Farro Soup: Try our favorite Beef and Barley Soup, but replace the barley with farro!
  • Make Chicken Farro Soup: Replace the vegetable stock with chicken stock and stir through some shredded, seasoned rotisserie chicken at the end.

Overhead image of the Farro Soup in the pot

Farro Soup FAQs

1Can I use farro instead of barley in soup?

Yes, farro is an ideal substitute for barley. They have similar textures and flavors, plus cook similarly (assuming both are pearled!).

2How much farro to add to soup?

We like 1 cup pearled farro best in this soup. Farro doesn’t swell the same as rice, so stick to about 1 part grain to 2-1/2 parts broth.

3What do you serve with Farro Soup?

We love topping each bowl with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, a squeeze of lemon, and using crusty warmed (and buttered) bread to dunk it in!

These Dinner RollsFrench BreadNo-Knead Bread, or Focaccia would all be great accompaniments to this soup.

If you’d like to serve a salad on the side, we recommend this Italian SaladCaesar Salad, or Garden Salad.

4What does farro taste like?

It’s most similar to brown rice in appearance and in flavor. The flavor is more complex than brown rice with a slightly nutty (even oat-y) taste.

5Is farro a carb or protein?

Farro is a high-protein carb providing 5 grams of protein per serving. (To compare, white and brown rice have about 1.5 grams of protein per serving). Farro has 34 grams of carbohydrates, but keep in mind that whole grains are resistant carbs, which affect your blood sugar differently*

Farro is also high in iron, magnesium, and fiber.

*Always speak with a doctor or nutritionist for advice on your dietary choices.

6How long to cook farro in soup?

Farro needs about 35 minutes in simmering liquid to be cooked through. Cooked farro has a lovely chewiness, but shouldn’t have a hard center like in uncooked rice.

7What is the healthiest grain to put in soup?

We love adding beneficial, nutritious grains to soups. Grains like quinoa, wild rice, and barley all add fiber, protein, and so many benefits! Try some of our favorite grain-filled soup recipes:

Overhead image of Italian Farro Soup in a bowl, ready to be enjoyed

QUICK TIP

Make sure to get flat-leaf Italian parsley, as opposed to curly for this amazing Farro Soup. Flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor and curly parsley is used more commonly as a garnish.

More Veggie-Filled Soup Recipes:

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

Farro Soup

5 from 1 vote
This hearty and nutritious Farro Soup is loaded up with tons of veggies, a rich seasoned broth, and plenty of farro. It's incredibly delicious and you'll feel great eating it! Top your bowl with some fresh herbs and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese-- then grab some crusty bread for dunking!
Print Recipe

Farro Soup

5 from 1 vote
This hearty and nutritious Farro Soup is loaded up with tons of veggies, a rich seasoned broth, and plenty of farro. It's incredibly delicious and you'll feel great eating it! Top your bowl with some fresh herbs and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese-- then grab some crusty bread for dunking!
Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword Farro Soup, soup with farro
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 269kcal
Cost $10.32

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion (~2 medium onions)
  • 1-1/2 cups chopped (1/2-inch) carrots (~3-4 carrots)
  • 1 cup chopped (1/2-inch) celery (~3 stems)
  • 1-1/2 cups peeled and chopped (1/2-inch) sweet potato cubes (~2 small or 1 medium)
  • 1-1/2 cups whole white mushrooms, cut in 4ths (5-1/2 oz.)
  • Fine sea salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (~4 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme and ground coriander
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
  • 1 cup pearled farro (Note 1)
  • 2 containers (32 oz. each) good-quality vegetable stock (we love Swanson) (8 cups total)
  • 2 dry bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
  • Optional: Parmesan cheese, for topping

Instructions

  • PREP: Thoroughly rinse farro in a mesh sieve/strainer under cool water. Shake off excess water and let stand in strainer to dry until ready to use. Prep veggies: very finely dice onion, peel and cut carrots to 1/2-inch pieces, cut celery to 1/2-inch pieces, peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes, and cut mushrooms in 4 pieces (or cut larger ones in 6-8 pieces).
  • VEGGIES: Add olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, sweet potato, and mushrooms. Season to taste (I add 2 tsp fine sea salt & 1 tsp pepper). Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and onion is beginning to turn golden, 5-7 minutes.
  • SEASONINGS: Add minced garlic, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp dried thyme and coriander, plus optional 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes. (The red pepper flakes add a touch of heat, so leave out if you don't love that.) Add in rinsed farro. Sauté, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
  • SIMMER: Add in bay leaves and all the vegetable stock. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer. (The soup should be slightly bubbling, but not rapidly boiling/bubbling.) Simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until farro is cooked through and veggies are tender. Farro has a lovely chewiness, but shouldn't have a hard center.
  • FINISH: Once soup is done, remove from heat and stir the parsley through. Taste, adjusting seasonings to personal preference. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy with crusty buttered bread!
  • STORING: Farro will continue to soak up surrounding liquid, so to store leftovers, use a slotted spoon to separate farro & vegetables from the broth. Re-combine the two when ready to enjoy the leftovers!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Farro: We love this brand and this brand of Farro. The important thing to note is you want to grab pearled farro which means the bran has been removed and it'll need less cooking time than whole farro. Whole farro still has the bran intact and takes a lot longer to cook. It will also absorb too much liquid in this soup.
Nutrition information does not include optional Parmesan cheese. Without the cheese, this vegetarian recipe is also vegan.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 528mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10623IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

More Recipes You'll Love

15-Bean Soup

9 hrs

15-Bean Soup

Click the Bookmark Icon to Add to Your Favories

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

7 hrs 30 mins

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

Click the Bookmark Icon to Add to Your Favories

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

55 mins

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Click the Bookmark Icon to Add to Your Favories

Butternut Squash Soup

55 mins

Butternut Squash Soup

Click the Bookmark Icon to Add to Your Favories

FREE BONUS

FREE BONUS

EASY MEAL SECRETS:
How to Make Mealtime Hassle Free!

5 secrets to easy, fast and delicious dinners.

[gravityform id="2" title="false" description="false"]

Leave a Comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




0 Comments

Never Miss a Recipe

[gravityform id="3" title="false" description="false"]