Many slow cooker recipes are bait-and-switch (and some, like this White Chicken Chili are somewhere in between). The dream is to fill a slow cooker with ingredients, turn it on, and hours later have a delicious meal. But so often you have to brown this and sauté that before you begin. Not so with this recipe.
The idea for this soup came from an incredible meal we had at Trattoria Sbandati here in Bend. We were there with a group and I can’t remember who ordered it. But I do know that we all ended up digging our spoons in for a bite. So. Delicious.
I came home determined to recreate it, a perfect companion to our other favorite Italian soups, Ribollita and Pasta e Fagioli. But I never imagined how easy it would be.
If you can’t find a smoked ham hock, then dice and fry a couple of bacon slices instead. (See, what did I tell you, bait-and-switch.) Or skip the meat altogether and throw in a couple of parmesan rinds from your freezer. You have those, right? Never throw a rind away – they’re great for enriching soups. If you don’t go through enough parmesan to save your own, often you can buy them inexpensively from your local cheesemonger.
If you’re having weather like we are, this is just the thing to make for dinner this week.
Slow Cooker Farro and Cannellini Bean Soup with Vegetables and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry cannellini beans salt soaked overnight (see recipe notes)
- 1 cup dry farro emmer or spelt berries
- 1 smoked ham hock (or 3 bacon slices diced and fried until crisp)
- 1 onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 3 carrots coarsely chopped
- 3 ribs celery coarsely chopped
- 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 head cabbage coarsely chopped
To finish:
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano or other good parmesan cheese
- extra virgin olive oil
- chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions
- Add soaked beans through cabbage, in order, to the bowl of a large slow cooker. Carefully stir, just to make sure the broth makes it to the bottom.
- Cover and cook on high 6 hours, or until beans are tender. (Start checking bean tenderness after 5 hours.)
- Lift ham hock from the soup and use a fork to remove and shred the meat - add the meat back to the soup and stir. Discard bone.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve soup topped with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, a generous swirl of olive oil, and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Notes
can you substitute garbanzo beans or navy beans instead of cannellini beans
Hi Debbie. Yes, absolutely!
I know this post is old, however I wanted to comment. I was just at Trattoria Sbandati
last weekend and had their farrow soup, and I enjoyed it very much. Searching online
I found your recipe and story along with it. I tried the recipe today, and even though it’s
the middle of summer, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s so great, Ben! Even though it’s the middle of summer, I’ve been craving this soup for the last week! It may be hot going down, but at least you don’t have to turn on the stovetop or the oven right? 🙂
Hello! Looks good! Is this freezer friendly?
Hi Linda 🙂 – I think this would freeze well, but haven’t done it myself. If you do, will you let me know if all goes well? Thanks!
would canned cannellinis work as a substitute?
Hi Zach – absolutely! Just drain the beans from 2 or 3 (or even 4!) cans and stir them in 15-30 minutes before you’re ready to serve the soup.
Wait a minute. You gotta cook the bacon!~ Just throw a diced chicken thigh in and let that cook.
I used a smoked ham hock, but, you’re right. If you go the bacon route cooking it first would add some depth.
Marissa, this looks amazing!!! I may need to pick up these ingredients tomorrow! Thanks again for the idea!
Thanks, Becky!
This sounds like such a great meal to come home to! I love that it doesn’t require any extra stovetop steps.
Thanks Joanne! That’s my favorite part too. 😉
Holy moly, this soup looks delicious. Even though it isn’t snowing here, I would gladly grab a bowl of this!
Thanks!
The weather is the same kind of cold, and crazy here. Good thing I have this soup to warm up to now! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! 🙂 Hope you like it…
I’m definitely saving this for when the weather turns cold! BTW I’m starting your drinking vinegars today 😀
You’re so great, Lorraine! Can’t wait to hear how you like them…
What a gorgeous looking soup. all my favorite ingredients. Enjoy the snow!
Thanks, Cheri! Yes, we’re happy to have it – really late this year…