Farro + Escarole Soup

Farro + Escarole Soup

October 8, 2020

Servings: 4

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 30 min

Total: 40 min

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This leafy green soup, complimented by a base of tender farro, is the ultimate fall comfort soup!

By: A Wholesome New World

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 TBSP capers
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 cup farro
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 6 carrots, thinly sliced on a diagonal
• 4 cups torn escarole (or kale!)
• 1 oz. finely grated Parmesan (about ¼ cup)
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• Kosher salt

Directions

• Step 1 Cook garlic, capers, and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until garlic is golden, about 4 minutes. Add shallot, farro, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is slightly softened and starting to toast, about 3 minutes.
• Step 2 Add 6 cups of broth and carrots to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until farro is tender, 20–25 minutes.
• Step 3 Stir escarole, lemon juice and Parmesan into soup and continue to cook until escarole is wilted, another 4 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt.

It is officially fall which means ALL I’m craving is pumpkin and some warm, cozy soups! The only downside to this time of year is the return of cold season and it was my family’s turn this week! We will all passed around a case of the sniffles, normally nothing to be up in arms about, but thanks to the pandemic – a sniffle makes you a social pariah. So, we spent the part of the week confined to the house, nursing our colds and getting lots of rest. And since I always monitor under the “feed a cold, feed a fever” mantra, this soup was just what the doctor ordered!

I call this soup an immunity blaster because every ingredient is just what you’d guess, full of antioxidants and nutrients to fight off even the meanest of colds and warm you from the inside out. Here’s the breakdown:

• Capers – I was pleasantly surprised to learn these tiny delicate little capers buds have amazing health benefits. Capers are rich in flavonoid compounds that are potent sources of antioxidants and they pack a mean punch of vitamins A, K, B2 and Niacin. When it comes to cold, they even battle congestion.
• Farro – is an extremely nutritious grain. It’s an excellent source of protein, fiber and nutrients like magnesium, zinc and some B vitamins. It also adds such a nice texture to the soup and makes it that much more satisfying. My problem with broth based soups sometimes is that they’re not always that filling, but that is not a problem here!
• Escarole – This bitter leafy, dark green offers many of the nutritional benefits of other, more common greens, including spinach, romaine and kale (feel free to substitute any of these if escarole isn’t accessible to you!). It’s abundant in folate, several other vitamins, including Vitamin A which is a powerful antioxidant that supports good vision, healthy bone growth, reproduction and you guessed it, strong immunity! A 2-cup serving of raw escarole provides almost 10 percent of the daily value of vitamin A. Cooking the escarole concentrates the vitamin so you get even more with each serving.
• Carrots – As you might already know, carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a compound your body changes into vitamin A. They’re also chocked full of Vitamin C – hand in hand boosting your immune system.

Is it just me or can you not go wrong with this soup?! I had two bowls on the spot and immediately felt a million times better. I hope you try it, whether you’re looking for a immunity blast, or just a comforting bowl of delicious soup! The flavor of the capers, lemon and broth, married with the rich and leafy escarole and tender farro makes this a WINNING combo. And as always let us know what you think, below!

Adapted from Bon Appetit.