During the colder fall and winter months, it’s so nice to throw a bunch of ingredients into a pot and end up with a delicious, hearty, and warming vegan stew a couple hours later. And this recipe is just that! It requires some simple prep work with vegetables and then you basically just set it and forget it as it simmers away in your kitchen. And oh my goodness this stew is so, so good! The nuttiness of the Farro and the freshness coming from the kale and lemon-juice pairs so nicely together and the bright colors really make this dish look astounding.
What is Farro?
But first, what actually is Farro? I actually did not even know this grain existed until I started transitioning into a plant-based diet and suddenly discovered a whole new world of nutritious grains, legumes, and veggies! Farro is a grain like rice, and quinoa, but it more similar to barley than any of the other grains. Farro is a high-protein, and high-fiber ingredient, making it perfect for a whole-foods plant-based diet or for those of you who are trying to eat a tad bit healthier.
But do not fret because even though Farro is a healthier alternative to white rice, it still tastes delicious and actually packs in a lot of umami, nutty flavor. The texture is softer than rice and not to mention, Farro is loaded up with healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, so if you don’t have this in your pantry already, I highly suggest you stock up on some! This ancient grain should be a staple in anybody’s diet, especially for those of us who are plant-based and/or vegan. So, to give you some inspiration for how to use farro, why not start with this hearty vegan stew recipe!
Preparing the Veggies for this Vegan Stew
For this hearty Farro, Kale & White Bean Vegan Stew, as the name suggests, contains the nutritious grain of Farro, Kale, and White Beans, but there are also a bunch of other vegetables that add loads of flavor and healthy fiber to this dish.
To prepare these ingredients, start by rinsing the kale and zucchini, peeling the carrots, removing the tops and bottoms of the celery stalks, and removing the outer layer of the onion. Then, roughly dice the onion, celery, zucchini, and crush and mince the garlic and add these all into a bowl.
For the kale, to prevent food waste, I use the kale stems in the stew but add them in along with the celery and carrots to give them some extra cooking time. This step is completely optional, but if you choose to do so, remove the leaves from the kale stem, chop off the bottom of the stems and then dice the stem like you would with celery.
Then, roughly chop up the kale using a knife or use your hands to tear apart the leaves into smaller pieces. Set aside the kale in a separate bowl from the onion, celery, and other vegetables because the kale is added at a different time into the stew since it requires less cooking time.
Serving the Farro, Kale, and White Bean Vegan Stew (or Meal-Prepping)
This stew is filled with vegetables, protein, and whole-grains, so this is a balanced and healthy meal in one plate! But, I do suggest serving it alongside with some bread to dip into the soup (yum!) and topping it with some jalapeño as a tasty and spicy garnish.
For those of you who are meal-prepping this delicious and hearty vegan stew, serve out this dish into food containers without the jalapeño garnish (so that it doesn’t get soggy) and leave it in the fridge for up to 10 days. Then, just heat it up for 2.5 minutes in the microwave, although time may vary depending on the microwave you have, or in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Watch how to prepare this recipe
Recipe
Farro, Kale & White Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup farro
- 1 onion diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 1 zucchini diced
- 4 garlic cloves crushed or minced
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- 6 cups kale leaves roughly chopped
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 15 oz can low sodium white beans drained and rinsed
- 1-2 cups water
Instructions
- Start by prepping the vegetables according to the ingredient list. For the kale, I highly suggest removing the kale leaves from the stem and dicing the stem like you would with the celery. Often times, kale leaves get thrown out but they are perfectly delicious and nutritious! So, I add my kale stems in along with the celery, carrots and other vegetables at the beginning of the cooking time to get nice and tender, but this is up to you.
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat combine the first 10 ingredients through the cumin (and the kale stems if choosing to use them). Stir everything to combine the spices and to coat the farro and bring the mixture up to a boil. Once the liquid has reached a rolling boil, turn down the heat and simmer it covered for 2 hours, stopping to stir every 30 minutes or so. After the 2 hours, the farro should be soft and tender and the vegetables should soften.
- Next, add in the chopped kale leaves, lemon juice, and white beans. Stir everything to combine and if the vegetables aren't completely covered by liquid, add in another 1 to 2 cups of water. Turn up the heat to let it reach a boil again and then turn down the heat to low and simmer the soup covered for another hour, stirring once halfway through the cooking time. Then, serve the soup warm with a side of bread and topped with parsley or jalapeño for those of you who like your food spicy. Or, set the soup aside in food containers to refrigerate and eat throughout the week for a convenient and delicious lunch or dinner!
Curious for more?
Check out some of my other recipes including vegan cheesy lasagna, spicy vegan tacos, vegan gumbo, lentil veggie burgers, and the best vegan chili! Or, if you’re looking for some more southern inspired plant-based recipes check out my previous post on how to make Hoppin’ John, a spicy rice and bean dish. Plus, remember to subscribe down below to get updates when new recipes are posted, and check out my new youtube channel, ecofoodstuff! I’ve finished a video for this recipe, and a video for my chili and pancake recipes as well!
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