Description
A hearty and classic Italian minestrone soup packed with tender beans, fresh vegetables, and small pasta, simmered to develop deep flavors and served with fragrant herbs for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Beans
- 8 ounces (225 g) dried cannellini, borlotti, or kidney beans
- Kosher salt
- 1 medium onion, split in half (about 6 ounces; 175 g)
- 1 medium carrot (about 3 ounces; 85 g)
- 2 celery stalks (about 3 ounces; 85 g)
- 2 medium cloves garlic
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- 2 to 3 sprigs parsley
- 1 bay leaf
For the Soup Base
- 4 ounces (115 g) salt pork or pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 6 ounces; 175 g)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced (about 3 ounces; 85 g)
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced (about 3 ounces; 85 g)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons; 12 g)
- 1 pound (450 g) ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
To Finish
- 1 cup dried small pasta, such as ditali, macaroni, or orecchiette (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 g)
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 ounces; 115 g)
- 1 medium summer squash, cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 ounces; 115 g)
- 4 ounces green beans, cut into 1/2-inch lengths (about 115 g)
- 4 ounces spinach, roughly chopped (about 4 cups loosely packed leaves; 115 g)
- Chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, or rosemary, for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Soak Beans: In a medium bowl, cover the dried beans with cold water by several inches and stir in 1 tablespoon salt. Let them soak for at least 12 hours and up to one day to soften.
- Cook Beans: Drain and rinse soaked beans. Combine beans, onion halves, carrot, celery, garlic cloves, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaf in a large pot. Cover with water by several inches and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for about 45 minutes until beans are tender. Discard the aromatics and vegetables using tongs, drain beans, and reserve the bean-cooking liquid.
- Prepare Bean Broth: Transfer reserved bean-cooking liquid to a 2-quart measuring cup and add cold water to make a full 2 quarts (8 cups) of liquid for the soup base.
- Cook Soup Base: Heat pancetta (if using) and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook until pancetta renders fat and softens without browning. If omitting pancetta, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, and minced rosemary. Season with salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often until vegetables are softened but not browned. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Tomatoes: Stir in peeled, seeded, and chopped Roma tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally until most moisture evaporates and the mixture starts to fry with a popping sound.
- Simmer Soup: Add the prepared bean broth, cooked beans, and Parmesan rind if using. Let the soup simmer for at least 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Add Pasta and Vegetables: Add dried pasta, zucchini, summer squash, and green beans to the pot. Simmer for about 10 minutes until pasta and vegetables are tender. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind.
- Finish and Serve: Serve the soup immediately garnished with fresh chopped herbs and freshly ground black pepper. Optionally, simmer the soup longer (up to 2 1/2 hours) for a heartier texture, adding pasta closer to serving if extended simmering. For texture contrast, reserve half the soup before long simmering and stir it back in at the end.
Notes
- Canned beans may be substituted for dried beans by using 2 cups drained and rinsed canned beans and replacing bean broth with vegetable or low-sodium chicken stock. Increase simmering time to 30 minutes if using canned beans before adding pasta and vegetables.
- Use fresh ripe tomatoes if in season for best flavor. If not, substitute with 1 (14-ounce) can of whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand or chopped.
- Adding a Parmesan rind during simmering adds depth and richness to the broth but can be omitted.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
