There’s nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of Borlotti Bean and Farro Soup. With its rich, velvety broth, nutty farro, and creamy borlotti beans, this rustic Italian soup is the perfect balance of hearty and wholesome.
Delicious Borlotti Bean Soup is a dish that tells a story of simplicity and flavor. I had the pleasure of trying this dish in a Osteria in Lucca. This timeless soup is a reminder that the most satisfying meals are often the simplest—crafted with love, patience, and the best ingredients.
If you love Borlotti Bean Soup, you will love these other simple Italian Dishes like Pesto Calabrese, Lemon Pesto Pasta, Penne Napoli, and Zucchini Scarpaccia.
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Ingredients
- Dry Borlotti Beans- These beans, once soaked and cooked, are creamy and filling. They are the perfect base for a hearty winter soup.
- Farro- This ancient grain is healthy and delicious. It has a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with creamy beans.
- Yellow Onion- This is the base for the sofrito (arromatics) along with the following to create a rich flavorful broth for our beans and farro.
- Celery
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Tomato Paste- Tomato paste is really important for added depth to this broth.
- Bay Leaves
- Red Chili Flakes- Add a touch of spice to this full flavored soup by adding just a small amount of chili flakes to the sofrito. A little goes a long way.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
How to soften dried Borlotti Beans
- Start by cleaning beans. They should be rinsed free of all dirt and damaged beans removed.
- In a large bowl, place 2 cups of dry borlotti beans into 6 cups of cold water and let soak overnight.
- Drain beans and rinse away any remaining impurities.
How to make Borlotti Bean and Farro Soup
- Step 1: Sweat (gently cook, no browning) the vegetables until the onions become translucent. Add salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and tomato paste. Stir in and let warm until the tomato paste is starting to caramelize.
- Step 2: Then, add soaked borlotti beans and stir to coat in fat and flavor.
- Step 3: Add chicken broth, and simmer on low heat with the lid on for 35-40 minutes, or until the beans are very soft.
- Step 4: Once the beans have fully softened, use an immersion blender and puree until the soup is very smooth. (A countertop blender can be used. Let soup cool a bit before blending.)
- Add farro to the blended soup. Cover and simmer on low for an additional 35-40 minutes, until the farro is plump and tender.
Hint: Serve this hearty soup with a little olive oil, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and piece of crusty bread for a delicious and complete meal.
Substitutions
- Cranberry Beans: In North America, borlotti beans are often called cranberry beans. When shopping you can look for either borlotti beans or cranberry beans.
- Fresh Borlotti Beans: If you are lucky enough to find fresh beans, they make a lovely soup. The plump beans will need to be shelled and rinsed before cooking. Soaking is not necessary.
- Canned Beans: Buying canned beans can offer a lot of convenience and time savings. To use canned simple drain and rinse before adding them to the soup.
- Vegetable Broth: Keep this dish vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth.
Diana's Tips for Success
Top Tip
Most of the time preparing this soup is hands off. The beans need to soak overnight and the soup needs to simmer twice for almost 40 minutes. It’s a long preparation, but not difficult to do. Leave yourself plenty of time to let beans and farro soften so that the texture of the soup is smooth and creamy.
FAQ
What type of Beans are Borlotti Beans?
Borlotti beans belong to the Kidney bean family. They are large and mostly brown with a pink tint. They have a slightly sweet and earthy flavor. They are similar to red kidney beans, cranberry beans, cannellini beans, and pinto beans.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This soup can be portioned and frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place the desired portion in a small pot on the stove and warm on low heat, stirring intermittently until the soup begins to simmer. You may add a little water or broth to thin soup if it has become too thick.
Place a small portion in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds at a time. Stir in between intervals, and heat until the soup is hot all the way through.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Tuscan Marry Me Butter Beans
- Split Pea and Pearl Barley Soup
- Butternut Squash Ginger Carrot Soup
- Dutch Oven Chili Beans
- Easy Split Pea Soup
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Borlotti Beans Soup with Farro
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Immersion Blender (Stick Blender) or Standard Blender
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Borlotti Beans cleaned and soaked
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Large Carrot chopped
- 2 Celery Stalks chopped
- ½ Yellow Onion chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic whole
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth
- 4 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Farro
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Bay Leaves
Instructions
How to Soak Dried Borlotti Beans
- Start by cleaning beans. They should be rinsed free of all dirt and damaged beans removed.
- In a large bowl, place 2 cups of dry borlotti beans into 6 cups of cold water and let soak overnight.
- Drain beans and rinse away any remaining impurities.
How to Make Borlotti Bean and Farro Soup
- Heat a soup pot on medium heat. Add olive oil to the pot and then add chopped onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sweat (gently cook, no browning) the vegetables until the onions become translucent.
- Next, add salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and tomato paste. Stir in and let warm until the tomato paste is starting to caramelize.
- Then, add soaked borlotti beans and stir to coat in fat and flavor.
- Add chicken broth, and simmer on low heat with the lid on for 35-40 minutes, or until the beans are very soft.
- Once the beans have fully softened, use an immersion blender and puree until the soup is very smooth. (A countertop blender can be used. Let soup cool a bit before blending.)
- Add farro to the blended soup. Cover and simmer on low for an additional 35-40 minutes, until the farro is plump and tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Cranberry Beans: In North America, Cranberry beans may be easier to find than borlotti beans. Like borlotti beans, they are a creamy bean and have a slightly pink color.
- Fresh Borlotti Beans: If you are lucky enough to find fresh beans, they make a lovely soup. The plump beans will need to be shelled and rinsed before cooking. Soaking is not necessary.
- Canned Beans: Buying canned beans can offer a lot of convenience and time savings. To use canned simple drain and rinse before adding them to the soup.
- Vegetable Broth: Keep this dish vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth.
Nutrition
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Diana Reis says
This delicious soup is a special part of Tuscan cuisine where my family is from. I hope you enjoy it.