Beef, Farro, and Lentil Soup

This is a super cozy and hearty recipe that does not require a ton of effort. You just need some time for the beef to cook and get tender, and it is definitely worth the wait. It is perfect to make on a cold or rainy Sunday afternoon!

Ingredient Notes:

I chose boneless short ribs for the beef. They have good marbling, are easy to cut into bite-sized pieces, and become perfectly tender after cooking for about 60 to 90 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a chuck roast, cutting it into 3/4 inch pieces, or opt for pre-cut stew meat. I tend to avoid stew meat because it often lacks the nice marbling found in short ribs or chuck roast, resulting in a less rich beefy flavor. If you can find high-quality stew meat or have the butcher cut it for you, it is a great time saver.

Short Ribs Chuck Roast Stew Meat

boneless short ribs

chuck roast

stew meat

Look for pearled farro at the grocery store. Most of the farro you will find is pearled. It cooks in about half the time of whole farro. If you check the cooking time on the bag and it says 20 to 30 minutes, then you know it is pearled. If you can't find farro, pearled barley makes a great substitute. It has the same nutty flavor and chewy texture, and takes about the same amount of time to cook. I love the combo of the farro and the lentils, but you can use one or the other instead of both if you prefer - just use 1 cup instead of 1/2 cup.

The red wine adds a delicious richness to the soup, but if you want to skip the wine, you can substitute additional beef broth.

The Better Than Bouillon amps up the beefy flavor, so I would not skip it. I always have a jar of beef and chicken in my fridge to add flavor to recipes!

Your kitchen will smell so good!

Beef, Farro, and Lentil Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless short ribs or chuck roast, cut into 3/4 inch pieces (trim away any large pieces of fat), OR 2 lbs of stew meat

• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

• Oil of choice for browning beef (I like to use avocado or ghee because it has a higher smoke point than olive oil and works well to sear the beef)

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 2 large carrots, diced

• 2 celery ribs, diced

• 8 oz crimini mushrooms, quartered

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 Tbsp tomato paste

• 2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Base

• 1 cup red wine

• 6 cups beef broth or beef bone broth

• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• Small bundle of thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen twine (or use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme)

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 cup pearled farro, rinsed well

• 1/2 cup brown lentils, rinsed well

• Plenty of fresh chopped Italian parsley

Directions:

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium/high heat with 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil or ghee. Pat the beef pieces dry and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Working in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot, sear the beef on all sides.

2. Once all of the beef is browned, set it aside in a bowl and lower the heat a bit. Add the chopped onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot and sauté for a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute longer.

3. Add the tomato paste and beef base and stir well, letting it caramelize a bit (turn the heat up if you need to at this point). Deglaze the pot with the red wine and bring to a simmer.

4. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves to the pot along with the reserved beef and all of the accumulated juices. Bring the soup back to a simmer and cover, keeping the heat very low so it can stay at a bare simmer. Cook for 60 to 90 minutes at a low simmer, or until the beef is nice and tender. Test for seasoning at this point - you will need to add plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper to get the seasoning right. Just add slowly and taste so you don't overdo it.

5. Add the farro and lentils and cook for another 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, and the farro is tender but still has a chewy bite to it.

6. Stir most of the fresh chopped parsley into the pot, saving a little to garnish each bowl. Serve with some crusty sourdough bread!