This one-pot Tuscan farro soup combines chewy farro, creamy white beans, and tender vegetables in a savory, Parmesan-infused broth in about 40 minutes. 

A Rustic Tuscan Farro Soup for Any Night

If you’ve been a reader of this site for a while, you’ll know I’m the kind of person who eats soup year-round, regardless of the weather. This hearty farro soup is inspired by zuppa di farro, a rustic soup from Lucca, Tuscany, and it hits all the notes for me: simple, comforting, and budget-friendly.

Farro is an ancient wheat grain with a pleasantly chewy texture and mild, nutty flavor. Here, it cooks right in the broth with creamy white beans, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. A Parmesan rind quietly adds savory depth as everything simmers.

Finish the soup with baby spinach, plenty of fresh parsley, and a splash of red wine vinegar to wake up all those cozy flavors. It makes eight servings, freezes well, and needs little more than a piece of crusty bread to make a complete meal.

Why Farro Works So Well in Soup 

Farro has a tender but pleasantly chewy texture, similar to barley, and a mild nuttiness that works beautifully with creamy beans and vegetables. It also gives this otherwise brothy soup enough substance to stand on its own for dinner.

I use pearled farro, which has some of the outer bran removed so it cooks more quickly. There is no need to cook it separately for this recipe. Add the rinsed, uncooked farro directly to the pot and simmer it in the broth for about 30 minutes, until tender but still pleasantly chewy.

Farro is a type of wheat and contains gluten. For more ways to use it, see my guide to farro and how to cook it, or try my creamy farro risotto with mushrooms and peas.

The Parmesan Rind Is the Flavor Booster

Don’t throw away your Parmesan rinds! They are one of my favorite no-fuss ways to add savory depth to soups, sauces, and stews.

When you finish a wedge of Parmesan, store the rind in your freezer. Drop it into the pot as the soup simmers, and it will slowly release its salty, nutty flavor into the broth. The effect is subtle, but it makes the whole soup taste richer.

Remove the rind before serving if it has not completely dissolved.

Farro Soup Ingredients 

This soup leans on simple vegetables and pantry staples, with a few finishing touches that bring everything together.

• Extra virgin olive oil: Use a medium-intensity olive oil to soften the vegetables and begin building the soup’s flavor. I use an Italian extra virgin olive oil here.
• Aromatic vegetables: Red onion, carrots, and celery form the savory base of the broth.
• Garlic: Two large cloves add a warm, aromatic bite. If you are passionate about garlic, no one is stopping you from adding another.
• Whole San Marzano tomatoes: One 28-ounce can adds richness and acidity to the broth.
• Stock: Use low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock. Choose vegetable stock if you want to keep the soup vegetarian.
• White beans: Cannellini beans are creamy and mild, but navy beans, Great Northern beans, or butter beans also work. Canned beans keep this weeknight-friendly; just drain and rinse them before adding.
• Farro: Add one cup of rinsed, uncooked pearled farro directly to the soup. As it simmers, it becomes tender while keeping its characteristic chewy texture.
• Parmesan rind: A 1-inch piece adds subtle nutty, savory depth to the broth.
• Baby spinach and fresh parsley: Stir them in after cooking so they retain their freshness and color.
• Red wine vinegar: Two tablespoons added at the end brighten the beans, grains, and vegetables. Don’t skip it! It makes all the other flavors pop.
• Grated Parmesan: Finish each bowl with a little grated Parmesan for an extra savory touch.

How to make Tuscan farro soup

This farro soup comes together in one pot with very little hands-on work. Once the vegetables soften, the farro cooks directly in the broth.

• Sauté the vegetables. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 thinly sliced red onion, 1 to 2 sliced carrots, and 2 chopped celery sticks. Season with a little kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes.
• Add the garlic and remaining soup ingredients. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add one 28-ounce can of whole San Marzano tomatoes, 6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock, one 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed white beans, 1 cup rinsed farro, and a 1-inch piece of Parmesan rind.
• Simmer until the farro is tender. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer—not a rapid boil—and cook until the farro is tender but still pleasantly chewy, about 30 minutes.
• Add the finishing touches. Turn off the heat. If the Parmesan rind has not dissolved, remove it from the pot. Stir in 2 packed cups of baby spinach, 1 cup chopped parsley, and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar.
• Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with grated Parmesan.

Tips for the Best Farro Soup 

• Use pearled farro. This recipe was made with pearled farro, which cooks more quickly than whole farro. If you use a different type, the cooking time may vary. The farro is ready when it is tender but still has a pleasant chew.
• Keep the soup at a gentle simmer. A steady simmer cooks the farro and vegetables evenly without rapidly reducing the broth.
• Save your Parmesan rinds. Keep leftover rinds in the freezer so you can drop one into soups whenever you need an easy boost of savory flavor.
• Add the greens after cooking. Stirring in the spinach and parsley after you turn off the heat allows them to wilt gently while keeping their fresh flavor and color.
• Don’t skip the vinegar. The final splash of red wine vinegar balances the rich beans, farro, and Parmesan-infused broth.
• Make it vegetarian or vegan. Use vegetable stock to keep the soup vegetarian. For a vegan version, use vegetable stock and omit the Parmesan rind and grated Parmesan. You can add 2 to 3 teaspoons of nutritional yeast with the stock for a savory finish.

What to Serve with Farro Soup

This hearty combination of farro, white beans, and vegetables is filling enough to serve on its own. Most of the time, I ladle it straight from the pot, add a little grated Parmesan, and call dinner done.

To stretch the meal for a crowd, add something warm and crusty for soaking up the broth. Try my garlic bread or rosemary focaccia with roasted garlic.

For something fresh on the side, this crisp Parmesan lettuce salad is simple enough to make while the soup simmers.

Swaps and Substitutions

This soup is flexible enough to accommodate a few simple changes without losing its essential character.

• White beans: Cannellini beans are my first choice, but navy beans, Great Northern beans, or butter beans also work. The texture will vary slightly, but all will give the soup a creamy, hearty quality.
• Baby kale for spinach: Baby kale has a little more body than spinach and may take slightly longer to wilt, but it can be added at the end in the same way.
• Add mushrooms: Cut your favorite mushrooms into bite-sized pieces and sauté them with the onion, carrots, and celery before continuing with the recipe.

Farro is the defining ingredient in this soup. Other grains require different amounts of liquid and cooking time, so I do not recommend treating them as direct one-for-one substitutes.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing 

Farro soup is an excellent make-ahead meal, but the grain will continue to absorb broth as it sits. The soup will be thicker the next day, which I’m not at all mad about! Add a splash of stock or water as you reheat it to loosen the consistency.

Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For faster, safer cooling, divide the soup among shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours rather than leaving the full pot to cool completely on the counter.

Reheat the soup in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and add stock or water as needed before serving.

To freeze, portion the soup into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, or reheat it from frozen on the stovetop. Add a little stock or water if the farro has absorbed too much of the broth.

You can also double the recipe for batch cooking if you have a pot large enough to hold it comfortably. Freeze individual portions for easy lunches or a no-fuss dinner down the road.

More Cozy Italian Soups 

Ribollita (Tuscan White Bean Soup)

Italian Lentil Soup

Easy Minestrone Soup

White Bean Soup with Spinach and Fresh Herbs