Tomato Farro Soup with Grilled Mimolette Croutons

The use of a Parmigiano rind is a decision that makes this soup taste like it cooked longer than it did. The rind doesn’t melt but it releases its flavor into the broth as the soup simmers, adding a depth that plain vegetable stock alone wouldn’t achieve. Remove it before serving. If you have a wedge of Parmigiano in the fridge, the rind is the part worth saving in a bag in the freezer specifically for soups and braises like this one.

The bell pepper goes on the open flame of the stovetop burner while the soup is already simmering, so the timing works without rushing either component. Charring it directly on the flame, turning with tongs until every side is blackened, takes about 10 minutes. The steam inside the covered bowl does the rest, and the skin peels off cleanly. What’s left is a sweet, slightly smoky pepper that adds a flavor to the finished soup that a raw or roasted-in-the-oven pepper doesn’t quite replicate.

Why You’ll Keep Making This

Farro is the ingredient that makes this more than a tomato soup with a side of bread. It cooks directly in the broth, absorbing the tomato and broth as it simmers, and adds a chewiness that makes each spoonful feel substantial. San Marzano tomatoes are worth specifying: their lower acidity and higher flesh-to-seed ratio produce a sweeter, cleaner tomato base than standard canned whole tomatoes. The red wine vinegar at the end is the acid that lifts everything. Without it the soup is good; with it, all the individual flavors become more distinct and the whole bowl tastes brighter. And once you have made the Mimolette croutons, you will wonder why you ever settled for plain bread alongside a bowl of soup.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.

• Onion
• Celery
• San Marzano tomatoes – or other type of whole canned tomatoes
• Vegetable broth – or chicken broth
• Thyme
• Farro – or rice, barley, bulgur wheat
• Rind of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – the hard rind of a wedge of this cheese adds depth.
• Bell pepper – roasted
• Parsley
• Basil
• Red wine vinegar

How to Make Tomato Farro Soup

Grilled Mimolette Croutons

Instead of crusty bread accompanying your tomato soup, or even a grilled cheese, I made grilled cheese croutons from whole wheat bread and Mimolette cheese. It goes without saying that, in order to keep this tomato farro soup vegan, replace the Mimolette cheese with a vegan cheese.

What is Mimolette Cheese

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Alternatives & Substitutes

• Farro: Rice (white, brown or wild), barley or bulgur all work. Check the package for cooking times: bulgur and white rice cook faster than farro, so add them later, and brown rice takes longer.
• Parmigiano rind: If you don’t have a rind, stir a spoonful of grated Parmigiano into the soup at the end, and taste before adding more salt. The rind is not vegan, so leave it out for a vegan soup.
• Broth: Vegetable broth keeps the soup meatless, and chicken stock works too.
• Charred pepper: There are 4 ways to roast peppers; in the oven, under the broiler, in a grill pan or on a direct flame, read about it here. Jarred roasted peppers also work when you’re short on time.
• Tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes give a sweeter, cleaner flavor, but any whole peeled canned tomatoes work.
• Red wine vinegar: Sherry vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice also brightens the soup.
• Mimolette: Any melting cheese works. Aged Gouda, Edam cheese or sharp cheddar cheese come closest to its nutty flavor. Use a vegan melting cheese for a vegan crouton.

Storage Note

The soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes for up to 2 months. The farro will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so when reheating, add a splash of broth to loosen it back to soup consistency. Make the croutons fresh when you serve; they don’t reheat well once cut.

Other Tomato Soups to Try