Vegan Farro and Hearty Greens Soup (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

5 from 3 votes

Vegan Farro and Hearty Greens Soup (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

Cook the farro grains first, either in a pressure cooker or stovetop. The pressure cooker saves a whole lot of time! Farro cooking time varies according to the type of farro you use and the 15 minutes of cooking time doesn't include the time it takes to cook the farro first. If you cook the farro earlier in the day, or the day before, your soup can be on the table in 30 minutes. Makes about 8 servings.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: farro, kale, leafy greens

Servings: servings.

Calories: 151kcal

Author: Letty | @lettyskitchen

Ingredients

1 cup farro (see note)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white parts only , halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise into half-moons
2 ribs celery, including the leaves , chopped in ¼-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic , minced
8 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground sumac (see note)
1 bunch mixed greens, or 1 variety of green, stems removed and discarded, leaves chopped in 1-inch pieces (kale, mustard greens, chard, and/or collards)
⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro
Fine sea salt , as needed

Instructions

Cook the farro:

Rinse the farro grains. Place in the pressure cooker pot. Cover with about 2 inches water above the grains. If you wish, add a couple whole cloves of garlic. (see notes for stovetop cooking.)
Lock the lid in place, making sure the steam vent is closed. Set the timer on Manual. For timing--follow the directions on your farro package and set the timer for one third of the listed stovetop cooking time! Let the pressure come down naturally. When the valve drops, open the lid. Drain and set aside. Wipe out the cooking pot. (If you wish, use the farro cooking water for some of the vegetable broth.)

Make the soup:

Using the Instant Pot: Set the dial to Sauté. Heat the oil a minute, then add leeks, celery, and garlic. Cook and stir until the leeks have softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the vegetable broth, paprika, cumin, sumac, and greens. Lock the lid in place, making sure the steam vent is closed. Set the timer on Manual and Pressure Cook for 3 minutes. Carefully turn the pressure vent to release the steam.
Stir in the chopped cilantro and the cooked farro. Set the dial to Sauté and cook about 10 more minutes, until the farro is heated through.
Taste and add salt, if needed.

Notes

Cook your farro ahead so it's ready when you are. Cooked farro freezes beautifully!
Sumac (soo-mack) spice, a berry that grows wild in the Middle East, goes well with the paprika and cumin, and this spice trio marries well with the broth, farro, and hearty greens. If you don't have sumac, substitude both a teaspoon of lemon zest and lemon juice.
If you cook more than you need for this recipe, freeze the rest and throw it in salads or another soup.
How to make this soup with regular stovetop cooking: First cook the farro according to the directions on the package. For the soup, sauté the leeks, celery, and garlic 5 or 6 minutes. Add the broth, paprika, cumin, and sumac. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped greens and cook another 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and cooked farro and heat through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

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