When the cold sets in, the Florentine Bean and Grain Soup is perfect. We need warm and comforting dishes, so this hot, dense, and steaming soup is perfect.
According to tradition, this Florentine Bean and Grain Soup “needs” a good slice of unsmoked pancetta that fries together with the vegetables to give an incredibly good flavor to everything, but if you prefer the vegetarian vegan version, do not use it, and it will still be delicious, trust me.
Well, if you happen to have leftovers, store them in the fridge and reheat them the next day, and you’ll see that it will be even better!!
Below, as always, I leave you with other delicious and rich soups to try, and then let’s go right under the photo to discover how to prepare this rich Florentine Bean and Grain Soup!!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very affordable
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients for the Florentine Bean and Grain Soup
- 1 onion (small)
- 1 carrot
- 1 rib celery
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 oz dried borlotti beans
- 1.8 oz dried black beans
- 1.8 oz dried cannellini beans
- 2 oz dried chickpeas
- 1.8 oz lentils
- 2 oz dried peas
- 2 oz pearled spelt
- 2 oz pearled barley
- 2 potatoes
- 2 oz cherry tomatoes
- 4.2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bunch aromatic herbs (bay leaf, rosemary, sage, and thyme)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 3.5 oz pancetta (unsmoked)
Tools
- 1 Unglazed Clay Pot
- 1 Bowl
Preparation
To prepare the Florentine Bean and Grain Soup, the night before, soak the beans and grains (except barley and spelt, which usually do not need soaking).
Then the next day, rinse and drain them very well.
Coarsely chop the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic along with a few sage leaves and some rosemary needles.
In an unglazed clay pot or another heavy-bottomed pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the vegetables until they are golden.
If using pancetta, cut it into strips and sauté it with the vegetables.
Add the soaked beans and grains along with barley and spelt, stir with a wooden spoon, and let them flavor for 3 or 4 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. If the broth is unsalted, add some salt.
Cut the cherry tomatoes into large pieces, and once boiling, add them to the soup along with the sprig of aromatic herbs.
Cover with the lid and cook gently for at least 1 hour.
Stir the soup occasionally, and if it dries too much, add more hot broth.
Peel the potatoes, cut them into small pieces, and incorporate them into the soup, cooking everything for another 30 minutes.
Depending on your taste, you can decide to make the soup thicker (by adding less broth) or more brothy by adding more hot broth.
At the end of cooking, turn off the heat, remove the sprig of aromatic herbs, and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Drizzle raw olive oil over each plate.
How to Store the Florentine Bean and Grain Soup
You can store it in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer, then let it thaw at room temperature before reheating it on very low heat.
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