Black Bean and Farro Soup

This soup by 12th grader Emily Havey, from Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona, was the Grand Prize winner in the 2018 Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Meatless Monday Recipe Contest. This year’s theme was “Go with Grains.”

Serves 6.

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Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp minced Garlic
• 1 cup Uncooked Farro
• 2 1⁄2 cups Water
• 4 cups Black Beans, Drained
• 1 cup Mild Salsa
• 2 1⁄2 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 tsp Salt
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Cilantro
• 1 Lime

Directions:

1. In a medium sized pot, sauté garlic in olive oil on medium heat for about 30 seconds.

2. Add the farro and water to the garlic. Turn heat to high and cook until the water begins to boil. Reduce to medium heat, cover with lid and cook for 15-20 minutes.

3. While the farro is cooking, pour black beans into a blender and blend until smooth.

4. Combine black beans, salsa, and the vegetable broth into a medium sized pot. Add the cooked farro, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaf and salt to the rest of the soup mixture. Turn on medium heat for 10 minutes or until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.

5. Remove the bay leaf.

6. Add a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with cheese and cilantro on top immediately before serving.