Swap out the barley and try farro in soups. It doesn’t get mushy and is so delicious and good for you. This recipe is for Beef and Farro Soup and it’s AMAZING.
I’ve got a real thing for beef and barley soup. It’s one of my favorites. But lately I’ve been obsessed with farro. So I just had to take my favorite soup and tweak it to include farro. Scroll down to read more about farro and this soup, or click here to jump down to the recipe.
Using Farro In Soup
Farro is great to use in soup because it doesn’t get too soft if it sits in liquid but instead tends to retain its texture. This means that you can make a big batch of soup, like this one, and then have it in your fridge for a couple days without the grain getting bloated and mushy.
This recipe is easiest to make using cooked farro, so if you’re making farro as a side dish for dinner (like in this delicious farro recipe with cream cheese and spinach) or as the entree (like in this Special Fried Farro Recipe), you can make extra to use in this soup. I’m giving some links below for how to cook farro in a variety of methods. But note that the recipe below also has instructions on how to make the soup using uncooked farro, so that’s an option too.
How To Cook Farro
These are my favorite methods for cooking farro:
- Farro Cooked In The Instant Pot
- Farro Cooked On The Stove
- Farro Cooked In The Oven
- Farro Cooked In The Slow Cooker
Type Of Beef To Use
This recipe calls for lean ground beef. If you use a ground beef with a higher fat content, be sure to skim off the fat after you’ve browned it. Alternatively, you can use ground chicken or ground turkey for this soup. For the turkey, be sure that that package is labeled as ground turkey and not ground turkey breast since the turkey breast will be too dry.
If you’re a big fan of ground beef recipes, be sure to check out my Ground Beef and Rice Skillet and these Taco-Stuffed Shells, or browse more than 35 delicious ground beef recipes here.
Seasoning Beef And Farro Soup
I haven’t included seasonings beyond salt and pepper in this recipe. You can definitely add some though. It’s great with a teaspoon or two of chili powder, maybe with 1/4 teaspoon of cumin or smoked paprika as well. Or you can go with Italian flavors and add 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil. Dried thyme and rosemary are always delicious with beef, use 1/2 teaspoon of each. Another thing that’s tasty is to add BBQ sauce to the soup, about 1/2 cup. It adds some sweetness and tang but isn’t overpowering.
Or leave it as it is. Basic and soooo comforting. Mmmmm.
Oh, hey, if your grocery store doesn’t carry farro (mine doesn’t either. I feel your pain), you can order it over here.
More Beef Soups
If you love this Beef and Farro Soup, you’ll love my other beefy soups listed below. And be sure to check out my other 70+ soup recipes, many of which are quick and easy to make for busy, cozy weeknight meals.
Enjoy! -Christine xo
Podcast Episode About Making Beef and Farro Soup
Listen to me explain briefly about how to make this soup, along with some other great tips, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
Print
Beef and Farro Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
Swap out the barley and try farro in soups. It doesn’t get mushy and is so delicious and good for you.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 ribs of celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 2 cups cooked* farro
- 4 cups unsalted beef stock
- 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the carrots, celery and onion. Cook until softened, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the beef, salt and pepper. Cook until browned, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the farro, beef stock, and diced tomatoes. Increase heat to high until it reaches a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
*You can use uncooked farro in this recipe. If doing so, increase the amount of broth by two cups. Use 1 cup of farro and add it when you would have added it in the above instructions. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until farro is tender, 20-30 minutes, depending on the type of farro you’ve got. Or, follow the instructions here for how to cook farro.
Constance James says
This was perfect, just like beef barley soup but with farro. I saw that someone in the comments added beans so I added some cooked kidney beans that I had in the freezer and they were delicious in the broth. I’ll be making this again!
★★★★★
Vanessa says
I had never tried farro in soup before. It was so good! I agree that it’s better than barley. Will be making it again!
★★★★★
Sandra says
Made this soup for dinner on a very cold night and it was a hit! Followed recipe as written. Â It was so hearty and tasty – and very easy to make. Â
Christine Pittman says
Thanks so much, Sandra! Glad you enjoyed.
Jennifer R says
My family loves soups, stews, and chili recipes for our long cold weather months where we live. This one for the beef and farro soup sounds good and uses a different grain than what we are accustomed to. I have read that farro is high in fiber and vitamins so I am looking forward to trying it.
Christine Pittman says
Oh good, Jennifer! Enjoy!
Sharyl L Kay says
This soup recipe is so yummy! I did add a can of Northern beans beans(just because I love beans!) and I did add some Italian seasoning-YUM! Perfect comfort soup especially when you know you are going to be snowed in for a day or two and the temps. outside are bitterly cold! I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing.
Christine Pittman says
Sharyl, You’re welcome. I’m really happy that you like it. Thanks for the kind comment!
Cindy Carroll says
My husband and I enjoyed this soup. I cooked the farro in a crockpot first. I used less salt and less farro, still very tasty.
Christine Pittman says
So happy you liked it, Cindy. Thanks for letting me know!